A Century of Words
by xCastielsGirlx
Summary: 100 different SasuNaru one-shots. 20. Gaming: When hosting a gaming night, Naruto, Sasuke, Kiba, and Hinata think that it'll be just another week long of stress, unhealthy eating and screaming at the screens; but when Naruto picks up a game called 'Scarecrow', the group find themselves transported in the games they've played. Will they make it out alive? Or will it be game over?
1. Introduction

**Author's Note:** Yup! This is my big project! 100 SasuNaru one-shots! I hope to update at least once a week with this but if not, I'm sorry ^^; Still I hope that I will keep this going for the actual 100 chapters it's going to be! On with then shall we? GO!

**Warnings:** Shounen-ai, SasuNaru, swearing and violence.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the 'Naruto' characters; they belong to Misashi Kishimoto!

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><p><strong><span>Introduction<span>**

It was another boring day in Konoha Secondary School where one Uzumaki Naruto sat behind his desk, head in the palm of his hand and staring out of the window into the sun-filled playground where his favourite swing sat. His left hand lazily traced a picture on his text book. A ruler to his desk snapped him out of his musings. Cerulean blue eyes travelled up the ruler to meet with cold grey ones that were glaring right at him; and so Naruto glared right back.

"What's so important outside, Uzumaki?" Mizuki Cornel asked the boy, still glaring at the blond.

"Whatever it is, it's more interesting than your lesson, jackass." He replied, looking away and going back to sketching in his textbook. A furious cry ripped through the air and Naruto felt something hard hit the side of his face. His head snapped to the side, eyes wide open.

"Get the fuck out of my class Uzumaki and get the fuck off this school's property!" Mizuki yelled. Not having to be told twice, Naruto stood up violently- his chair scratching the floor as it did so- and shoved all of his things in his faded orange rucksack before walking out of the class- making sure to slam the door on the way out.

Once he was out of sight from the teacher, he sniffed and rubbed his cheek, feeling something wet falling down it. He pulled his hand back to see red on it, being diluted by a clear liquid.

_Just fucking great!_ He thought, storming through Konoha's central park. He was so bust fuming that he didn't see the lamppost he was heading straight for. Stars burst from behind his eyes and the next thing he knew he was somewhere comfy and warm.

"What the hell?" he groaned, rubbing his head before hissing in pain at the lump he felt.

"Hn, dobe," came a voice. Panicked, Naruto looked around for the source of the voice only to land on a complete stranger with black-blue hair shaped in the style of a duck's-butt.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto yelled, scooting back on the bed. Something then dawned on Naruto.

"Why the hell am I in your bed? What have you done with my stuff? DON'T RAPE ME!" he screamed, pulling the blankets around himself like a woman being caught in the act.

"Sasuke, would you please shut Naruto up?" came a voice from down the stairs.

"Sorry Itachi!" Sasuke yelled back. It was then that Naruto realised where he was and who he was with. Uchiha Itachi was his English teacher in school and this, obviously, must've been his younger brother.

"There is no way your brother is my English teacher," he told the raven in shock. Sasuke smirked and Naruto couldn't help but think that he found it incredibly sexy. The thought didn't scare the blond- hell; he'd known he was gay since he was ten years old. A blush formed on his cheeks as the raven climbed onto his bed and knelt in front of the blond. A worried expression took over his face as he saw Naruto flush. He placed an alabaster hand onto the tan forehead and frowned.

"You have a high temperature- are you ill?" he asked with concern. Naruto was unable to speak so just shook his head. Onyx eyes locked with cerulean and understanding flashed in the formers.

"But you're all red and flushed," he teased, starting to straddle the blond.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked, scared at the sudden advances. Sasuke smirked.

"How old are you Naruto?" Sasuke purred.

"S-sixteen," he swallowed and held back a groan as the raven took his earlobe between his teeth.

"Really? Well, I'm seventeen." He replied, hand sliding down to the front of the school trousers that were currently feeling a bit too tight for the blond. Naruto bit his bottom lip and blushed heavily from the ministrations.

"I barely know you Sasuke- why are you doing this?" he gasped out as the raven's hands slipped inside of his trousers and started to rub his manhood rhythmically.

"You might not know me properly, but I know all about you. The boy who everyone despises at school despite his high grades. Teachers hate you, bullies love to torture you but your friends stick by you and that's the most important thing to you," Sasuke whispered, starting to kiss the whisker markings on the teen's cheeks.

"More importantly, I know that you're gay, and you were totally checking me out that day on the train," he whispered. Naruto's eyes widened in realisation before becoming heavy with lust once more. He remembered that day on the train to school. He'd seen Sasuke get on with his tight skinny jeans and dark alluring presence. It had been raining that day, making the porcelain skin shine.

"You remember?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded, holding back a groan as Sasuke decided to take his pants off.

"I was actually thinking about introducing myself right then but then you had to get off- isn't that unfortunate?" he teased. The blond gasped as he felt the pleasurable pressure vanish. He stared indignantly at the rave before him.

"I'd like to get to know you, Naruto. How about we go for coffee later?" he asked, giving him a genuine smile. Naruto blushed a few shades of red before nodding. Sasuke smirked.

"Brilliant. Now let me finish what I started…"

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><p>Itachi sighed once more as he read his newspaper. There were occasional moans coming from the room upstairs. He turned the page, a raven eyebrow rising in interest as he read an article just as there was a thump from the room.<p>

"Honestly, I never should've let Kakashi babysit that boy." He muttered to himself. One thing was sure though- he'd be out of the house when the two came back from 'coffee'. And he'd definitely be ignoring all calls from his mother for the next few days.

_'New Gay Coffee Shop Opens in Konoha Town Centre- article written by Uchiha Mikoto'_

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><p><strong>There we go! The first out of 100. So, there are certain themes that are in a certain order that I have to write to. I hope you guys liked this! Some of these are going to be 'M' rated, just to let you know, whilst others are going to be 'T' and some 'K+'<strong>

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><p><em>Part 2: Love<em>

_Naruto never thought that there was difference between loving someone as a friend and loving someone as a lover- how wrong he is._


	2. Dying

**Author's Note: ** Okay, I'd like to apologise for a few things before I start this. One; I'm sorry it's taken me forever to update this- I just haven't had the time to write much and my sequel to 'Fighting Darkness' is taking up a lot; also, I'm quite ill. I've had a bad cough for about a month and a half now, so I'll be going to the doctors on Friday about that- hopefully get the proper medication so I'm right on my feet and can update more. Second thing to apologise for- this is not 'Love' of the 100 one-shots; but a theme from further down the line (number 43) called 'Dying'. If you're wondering why- it's because at the moment, I'm too whacked out on medication to be actually writing along that genre- plus that and it's actually based on a manga I've read and it's taking the freedom out of it and I can't stand that shit at the moment. So, here we have the next update!

**Warnings:** Angst. That's about it- oh, and violence and swearing. (I don't need to warn you guys about the SasuNaru)

**Disclaimer: **Misashi Kishimoto own Naruto- he owns him good. One clean punch and he's owned! The same with all the other Naruto characters. He owns them so bad!

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><p><strong>Dying<strong>

I don't know how it came to this- lying on the warm asphalt by my favourite pub, blood pooling around me as frantic voices screamed. Faintly, I could make two of them out; Uchiha Sasuke and Inuzuka Kiba. My sight was blurry, almost fading at the edges. I knew what was happening.

I was dying.

On this soft asphalt, I was going to lose my life. And people said that sports aren't bad for you. Fucking assholes. I knew I had a point in school when I refused to play football! Who knew that the sport I'd played with my friends and crush just a few hours earlier would be the death of me. Faint, were the voices. I wanted to just sleep- make the pain go away- but I couldn't because there was someone begging me not to.

Uchiha Sasuke.

My crush- the raven that hadn't even been with Kiba and I when we went to watch the football match. It was Konohagakure verses Otogakure in the football finals- and Konoha won. I guess it was sort of awesome that we'd totally thrashed them. Kiba and I were just going to the pub to celebrate with a few drinks, but we didn't look as we'd crossed the road. I wasn't hit by a car. God forbid! No, the driver- no older than me- had to break hard. He was obviously pissed at that fact and so he stormed out of his car and started to yell at Kiba for some unknown reason. Being the pacifist I am- or is it 'was'- I walked over to calm the man down. That was my mistake. He didn't even blink an eye as he turned and shoved that knife into my stomach. And then, without any sort of announcement, he drove off. That's when I hit the ground and everything was starting to fade.

But Sasuke- he was still in my vision. He'd only been in the area. Kiba'd asked him to come to the pub with us. Oh, how cruel this was. I was only 19! Too young to die! I was in Nursery with Sasuke all the way to where we are now- we'd been through so much- so close. And now for me to be taken away- I felt as though I was being unfair to him. But I owe him to hang on. I can barely even see anything. The blackness is crushing.

Overpowering.

Briefly, I can feel hands on my torso, trying to stem the blood flow. A weak cough escapes my lungs and dribbles down the side of my mouth and the loud voice of Kiba attacks my ears. He's calling for an ambulance as Sasuke tries to keep my blood from staining the floor even more.

"HELP MY FRIEND!" I hear Kiba scream. I know he's still on the phone as his shadow stands alone on the road. I turn my head.

"K-keep it d-down dog-breath," I manage through a few breaths. His head snaps to me and he looks broken.

But Sasuke's worse. A sob escapes his lips and I manage a smile on mine.

"It- it'll be fine Sasuke. Y-you'll manage," I whisper. A tear falls onto my cheek and it's only just then that I realise how bad this must be for him. He saw his mother shot before his eyes when he was younger, his father slowly deteriorate from lung cancer, his brother- whom he was closest to- walk away from him when he came out. And now I was leaving him.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," I whisper as more blood starts to gush past his hands and onto the already soaked asphalt beneath me. Kiba rushes over and overtakes as Sasuke breaks into another wave of sobs.

"N-no," I croak as the raven walks out of site. Somehow I manage to move my arm and snag the bottom of his jeans with my fingers.

"Let go Naruto," he tells me. Something at that just makes me break in side.

"Don't leave me Sasuke," I cry out, hurting myself more than necessary as I roll over onto my stomach.

I'm definitely dying if this is what I'm willing to do to get to Sasuke.

He freezes on the spot- not knowing what to do.

"You're the one leaving me," he tells me coldly. Kiba's behind me, yelling profanities as he tries to get me to lay still and he wants to supress the bleeding.

Fuck Kiba; if Sasuke won't look at me then I'm already dying. The heart in me that beats for him will give out if he walks away from me now.

"Please," I whisper, arm around my stomach- hoping to appease Kiba at least a little. He tenses and turns on the spot to face me. He was obviously expecting me to still be in Kiba's care when he turned around and not crawling to him in my state.

"D-dobe," he hiccups in a shaky voice.

Sirens.

Sasuke's head whips to the side and he drops down onto his knees and applies pressure to my wound. His hand over mine fits perfectly and a small smile flickers on my face.

"I-I'm not going to make it Sasuke," I whisper and his eyes meet mine- understanding flickers between us like a spark of electricity.

I'm dying.

_You're dying._

One clear tear makes its way down his face before he leans and places a chaste kiss to my lips. I squeeze my eyes closed at that kiss and his hand squeezes mine over the wound that was slowly but surely separating us.

For the first time in that evening, I feel a tear slip down my face. A pain is forming in my abdomen where I was struck and I wince. Sasuke pulls away and leans his forehead on my shoulder. I lean my head on his as more blood forms at the corner of my mouth.

A smile is forming.

But I'm dying.

Funny, I always thought I'd frown when I died but know? In Sasuke's arms? I can't but feel at peace as my vision goes black. My strength is almost gone but I think I can muster some up to at least confess.

"I love you," I whisper.

I'm dying.

But with a dying person, the hearing is the last thing to go.

"I love you too, moron," he chuckles, pulling me closer and entwining our fingers. I'm wondering where the ambulance crew is- maybe they're giving us some privacy. God forbid that some of them try to interrupt this otherwise I might actually try to beat them- not that I'd get that far. As I've said before;

I'm dying.

But that's all it is. It's just dying; nothing big. I'd been predicting this moment for a while now- not that I'm suicidal- but when you get that feeling? Now I feel bad for the others. What'll happen to them? Suddenly the thought of dying seems bad. I can't leave my friends. I don't know what'll happen to them. Who will feed Kyuubi? Who'll make sure that Sasuke and Kiba don't kill one another?

I'm scared of dying.

I won't know what'll happen to the people I care about afterwards!

But I can't think about that now- it's getting hard to breath, let alone think straight. I can feel my muscles relaxing and a squeeze. More dampness- but this time it's assaulting me. It's then that I realise that it's raining. The smell of warm asphalt being blasted by the rain bullies my sense of smell. It overpowers the blood and it makes me feel nostalgic.

The times spent before when I was innocent and young. My life's flashing before my eyes. And then comes the future; what could've been.

Sasuke.

My breathing is practically non-existent at this point but my hearing is still coherent.

"Dobe, you're not dying just yet," Sasuke whispers. A weak smile and chuckle escape as I draw my last breath. Sorry Sasuke- I know you were a prodigy, but this time you're wrong.

I'm dying.

This is it.

Before I go, I hear your voice one more time and feel your lips upon my forehead.

It was a wonderful life; it was such a shame it was ruined by dying.

But that's just how it goes. People come into your life- challenges are thrown your way, but you've to overcome them. I know Sasuke'll do well- he's strong. Not like me- otherwise I wouldn't be here right now…

Dying.

It's a small word for such a big event. It can destroy families, tear-apart friendships- separate people. But it's what you do in your time of dying that counts. I found this out and so did Sasuke- it's a shame we found it out the hard way. But that's how life is.

That's how dying is.

I can't believe I'm monologue at this time. I could be using this mental energy to change it into physical. I'd like to see Sasuke once more- but it's impossible. The medics are shouting- too loud. The monitor is flat-lining- too loud. Sasuke's here with me in this bumpy ambulance- he's too quiet. Weakly, I squeeze his hand and he squeezes back. I feel bad for giving him false hope- but he needs something to go on otherwise he'll end up dying too.

I don't want to leave him here alone. I want to cry so bad but I don't have the energy.

But I can't help it if I'm dying; it's just a part of life. But I died with Sasuke's hand in mine- and who knows? Maybe I'll see him again on the other side.

After all, dying isn't the end. Because nothing really ever ends, does it Sasuke?

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><p><strong>GYAH! I can't believe how whacked out I was when I wrote that! It's almost as though I was in a trance. The medication wore off about five minutes ago and I was just there like WTF?<strong>_**!**_** Now, this may look familiar if you've read Juura99's 'Peaceful' . I would like to say now that this is not meant to be a rip off of it. Actually, for this I was a heartless bitch and used a true story which happened about 20 years ago! But still. I do apologise for the fact that this isn't 'Love'. In fact, 'Love' won't be out for a while as I have no desire to finish it. The one that's most probably going to be out next is 'Light'. Just saying.**

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><p><strong>(Hopefully) Next time:<strong> 'Light'

Naruto always slept with the light on after Sasuke left. And even when the raven returned, it was still no different.

**Review if you think that 'Naruto's a cool manga 'cause it has more dragons! **


	3. Galaxies

**Author's Note:** Y'know, I'm not gunna put the preview at the end of the chapters 'cause I never seem to stick to them :/ Yeah- this isn't 'Light'. This is actually number 6 on the list 'Galaxies' and it was based off of the song by Owl City (Eule Stadt). Just sayin' XD Also to 'Anonymous' : I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the last chapter :/ You said that the warnings weren't done properly but I'm not too sure how. It says in the description that the whole thing is 100 SasuNaru one-shots. The chapter was called 'Dying' so it was pretty obvious that someone was gunna kick the bucket. And the angst was warned of- and the violence. I'm not too sure what's missed out there. Once again, I'm sorry if it offended you in any way but I won't be ashamed of what I write- it's all for entertainment purposes. I'm sorry you couldn't find that part in this.

**Warnings:** SasuNaru, Tragedy, Character Death, angst and fluff.

**Disclaimer:** Owl City owns 'Galaxies'. Misashi Kishimoto owns all Naruto characters.

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><p><strong><span>Galaxies<span>**

_January 26th, 1986_

The blond man lay on the double bed, sighing as he heard the shower running in the adjacent room. His lover was in there after a long shift at the Apollo space station.

"Sasuke, if you don't hurry up, you can forget about any sex this evening!" he yelled. There was a brief squeaking of taps before the blond was then dived on by a sopping wet and naked Uchiha.

"Sorry Naruto," he cooed, kissing his lover's neck and moving down to his chest. Naruto just huffed and pulled the raven's face away from his chest, squishing his cheeks together as he did so.

"No." He firmly stated, making the Uchiha whine.

"But I got out before the designated time!" he complained. Naruto just smirked.

"Bastard, c'mere," he whispered, pulling the raven up for a deep and passionate kiss to which the latter responded to quite eagerly. Hot and flushed, Sasuke nudged his boyfriend's neck with his nose.

"Let's get under the sheets shall we?" he asked suggestively. The blond giggled in reply before pulling the other closer.

"How about above the sheets?" he asked. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and proceeded to continue his ministrations of molesting his blond.

"I'm going to miss you when you're all up in space, teme," Naruto whispered as his raven boyfriend rubbed his chest. Sasuke just smiled.

"I can get you a souvenir if you want," he replied gently, earning a small chuckle from the blond beneath him.

"What are you going to do? Chisel a part of Halley's Comet off for me?" he asked. Onyx eyes softened as he gazed down.

"I'd do anything for you Naruto," he whispered, making the blond stare up at him and then brake into a blinding grin.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure that if I asked you not to go you wouldn't," he told the raven who just sighed in reply and sat up.

"Look, I know that you're worried but I'll be fine. This is The Challenger's twenty-fifth mission now- it's been fine all the other times and it'll be fine this time." He comforted, taking a tan hand in his own and rubbing it gently. Naruto sighed and just kissed the hand that was holding his own.

"Just be careful, teme," he whispered, looking into onyx with desperate cerulean. Sasuke nodded and lightly kissed him on the lips before stroking blond locks.

"I promise I'll be fine," he whispered, pulling Naruto closer and muttering into his ear, earning a small nod in return.

"You better be," was the muffled reply. Onyx eyes widened as he felt a dampness on his shoulder.

"Naruto, you're not crying are you?" Sasuke asked, pulling back. The tan blond just wiped his eyes and shook his head, refusing to look anywhere but into his forearm that Sasuke had a gentle hold of.

"I'm just so worried. There've been all these delays because of the weather- problems with the launch stations. I know something bad is going to happen, Sasuke- I can feel it in my gut," he explained, still rubbing at his eyes. Sasuke was shocked at the extreme emotion coming from his so usually cheery boyfriend.

"Hey, Naruto- look at me!" he commanded, touching the blond's tear-stained, whiskered cheek gently- coaxing him to look at him. Eventually Naruto complied. Sasuke looked straight into the eyes of his lover whom he had been with for four years now.

"I promise you this: nothing bad is going to happen." He stated simply. Naruto blinked once before diving onto his raven-haired boyfriend.

"I swear to God that if you get so much as scratch on you, no sex for a year!" he told the raven who just chuckled in reply and held the blond close.

"How many times do I have to promise?" he joked. Naruto just sighed and straddled the raven

"You have to promise me forever," he whispered, claiming the lips he loved so much on his own.

"Forever and always," Sasuke replied, moving it so that Naruto was below him.

"Now I believe you have to keep up with your end of the deal," Sasuke whispered, earning a small chuckle from the blond.

"Perv," he commented.

"Only for you," was the reply.

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><p>...<em>~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Dear God I was terribly lost when the Galaxies crossed~..._

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><p><em><span>January 27th, 1986<span>_

Sasuke entered his workplace with a yawn. His late night activities had left him quite exhausted and he had just wished for a cup of coffee when one was placed in front of him on his desk. Sasuke looked up wearily to see his colleague, Shikamaru Nara, standing above him.

"Thanks," he mumbled, taking a sip of the black beverage that was in the Styrofoam cups. Shikamaru just smiled and sat down next to his colleague and sighed.

"So what's going on with you and Naruto?" he asked, flipping through a magazine on his desk. Sasuke glanced to the lazy genius beside him and grinned. Shikamaru almost fainted at the small amount of emotion showed on the stoic Uchiha's face.

"I need to carve him a bit of Halley's Comet for a souvenir," he joked. Shikamaru chuckled but his retort was cut short when a crash came from the entranceway, revealing Inuzuka Kiba- the third man in their squad on the mission. He was sprinting away from their fourth member- and captain- Kakashi Hatake.

"Give me my book back Inuzuka!" he yelled, chasing after the brunette who just chuckled lightly and threw the book into a corner of the office- making Kakashi scream in terror as he dived for the literature. Sasuke just sighed when the man came waltzing up to him as if nothing had happened.

"So, we're setting out tomorrow- you guys nervous?" he asked. Sasuke shook his head and nodded in acknowledge to their fifth member- Hyuuga Neji who'd arrived with their sixth member, Rock Lee. They were just waiting for Yakushi Kabuto who seemed to be taking forever to arrive.

"Jeez, he's even later than me- I feel insulted," Kakashi sniffed, burying his nose into his book once more. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and leant back on his chair, thinking about the previous night. No matter what he had said to comfort Naruto, he too had the distinct feeling that something would go wrong- but he kept that to himself- he didn't want to scare Naruto with talk like that.

"So what are we going to be doing today?" Lee asked enthusiastically. Kakashi looked to his team and smiled.

"I just need to give you a briefing and a pep-talk; then you're free to go," he told the group, who just groaned. Sasuke folded his arms across his chest.

"As you guys all know, tomorrow we are marking The Challengers twenty-fifth launch. We are going out to record and observe Halley's Comet. We should be up there for no longer than one week- 6 days and 34 minutes to be precise but who's counting- so let your loved ones know that you'll be back in no time," he smirked, winking at Sasuke who just scowled in return.

"Continuing from that- a pep-talk. You guys all know that you're the best out there. We have the best equipment so it should all be smooth sailing. Get home and we'll rendezvous at 0830 hours" he relayed. Sasuke sighed and stood up from his place of sitting. He needed to get home soon otherwise Naruto would get cranky. Smirking, he made his way to his car and drove to his home where Naruto was sitting in the front garden, pegging out washing. He looked up at the sign of the car and a smile over took his features. He placed the wicker basket down before approaching the car and dragging the raven in for a kiss by his tie. Sasuke was shocked to say the least but responded eagerly. They broke apart, Naruto grinning, his eyes closed whilst Sasuke chuckled.

"I found out how long I'm going for," Sasuke told him. A blond eyebrow was raised in question as tan fingers started to undo the tie.

"6 days and 34 minutes," he stated. Naruto looked deep into onyx pools before jumping on his boyfriend, drawing him in for a crushing hug and a passionate kiss.

"Thank god," he whispered against the lips he was kissing. Sasuke chuckled before pulling away.

"C'mon, I've gotta be up at 6," he whispered, pulling Naruto in by the waist to the kitchen.

"What's for lunch?" Sasuke asked, hugging the blond around the middle from behind as he stirred something in a pot. Naruto just snorted and turned around in Sasuke's arms.

"This is your dinner- no solids before space, remember?" he told the raven who just whined, nuzzling the blond's neck at the same time. Naruto chuckled, pushing away from Sasuke.

"Don't, that tickles!" he complained, earning more of the same treatment until he was red in the face from laughing and out of breath.

"Stop! Stop!" he cried breathlessly, making the raven stare at him. Naruto blinked, smile fading at the look.

"Sasuke? Sasuke what is it?" he asked, tilting his head. The action seemed to peek the raven's interest as he followed it with his eyes but then went back to staring directly at the blond.

"Teme, stop staring at me!" he wriggled uncomfortably before Sasuke produced a small crooked smile.

"I really love you, Naruto," he whispered, making the blond flush a beautiful shade of magenta.

"Huh?" was the stupid reply. Sasuke just sighed and pressed a kiss to the tan forehead.

"Dobe. I said I really love you, Naruto," he repeated, pulling his boyfriend flush against his chest. Naruto felt a massive smile threatening to engulf his face and so he just squeezed back.

"I really love you too, Sasuke," he mumbled into the white work shirt that was covering his boyfriend's chest.

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><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~And the Sun went Dark. But Dear God you're the only North Star I would Follow this Far~..._

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><p><em><span>January 28th, 1986<span>_

_0600 hours_

A shrill ringing went off in the ear of Uchiha Sasuke and a groan emitted from his lips. Today was the day. He was going into space today. The alarm was still ringing, causing the mass to stir in alabaster arms.

"MmnSasuke, turn the alarm off," Naruto yawned, burrowing further into the arms of his lover. Sasuke produced a bittersweet smile as he watched the blond snooze for a bit longer before slamming his hand down on the button, silencing the alarm.

"Thank-you," was the half-yawn-half-thanks that was emitted from the blond. Sasuke sighed and looked down to Naruto again.

"Naruto- I'm leaving today," Sasuke gently reminded his sleepy lover. Naruto sat up so fast it was as though he had been prodded with a cattle poke.

"SHIT!" he cursed, jumping out of bed and dragging on a set of clothes. Sasuke blinked before getting out of bed and grabbing a set of tracksuit bottoms, a hoodie and a black sleeveless t-shirt. He walked up to his rushing lover and grabbed him by the hem of his shirt, pulling him back for a morning kiss.

"God I'm going to miss this for six days and 34 minutes," he mumbled against the tanned man's lips. Sasuke felt the chuckle and smiled in response.

"C'mon, we've got to get ready. You still want to see me off don't you?" the raven asked, earning an eager nod from the blond and yet another kiss.

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><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Fight back the flight deck; bring on the Breakneck. Cue the Solar Eclipse~..._

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><p><em><span>0830 hours<span>_

Naruto grinned as he greeted all of the team with Sasuke by his side. He also met Kiba's wife, Hinata; Lee's fiancée, Sakura; Neji's girlfriend, Tenten; Shikamaru's wife, Temari; Kabuto's girlfriend, Ino; and Kakashi's partner Umino Iruka. Everybody was nervous and the station was buzzing as a hive of activity should. Out of everybody, Kakashi seemed the most calm- nodding to various people and confirming statistics with others. Sasuke noticed how nervous his boyfriend seemed to be and so he grabbed his hand and pulled him into the changing room where the rest of his team would be occupying later.

"What's wrong," he asked gently, cupping a scarred cheek. Naruto looked up and just sighed.

"I'm really gunna miss you Sasuke," he told the raven who just smiled in return.

"I'll miss you too- but don't worry- it's only for six days and 34 minutes- I'm sure you'll find plenty to do in that time," the raven consoled, closing the distance between them with a swift and strong hug.

"Don't worry dobe," he told his blond once more. Naruto nodded and just inhaled the scent that was purely Sasuke- the scent that was purely home. Which gave Naruto an idea. He pulled off the blue crystal necklace he was wearing and placed it over the raven's head.

"Now we won't be separated-ever," he whispered, kissing the raven on the cheek. Sasuke just smiled.

"You're all sentiments you," he chuckled, earning one in return from the blond when the rest of the team trooped in.

"We've been rescheduled," Kakashi spat out. Naruto frowned.

"What?" he asked, gripping his boyfriend's hand tighter. He noticed that there were similar reactions by everyone else's second half. He guessed he wasn't alone in feeling that way.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, noting the change in grip, returning the same amount of force- creating an equilibrium.

"Issues with the fire detection system," Kakashi sighed. It was then that Sakura spoke up.

"That's been happening for a while now hasn't it? Lee told me about it- it's not safe to go in that ship!" she protested, earning nods of agreement from all the other partners. Kakashi sighed.

"We're not going to abandon the mission guys, Get over it. Now- we've been postponed and now the final boarding time is at 1130 hours," Kakashi relayed- earning nods from the team and disapproving sounds from the partners.

"Chill out until then," Kakashi told them, earning nods from everyone. Naruto rounded on Sasuke as soon as Kakashi had left.

"Sasuke-"

"No, Naruto, I'm doing this, regardless," Sasuke interrupted, turning a cold gaze onto the man, making him wince.

"I'm scared, Sasuke!" he yelled, not caring if other people were looking. Sasuke snorted.

"Why do you have to be scared?" he sneered.

"I'm scared to death that _you're_ not afraid! Surely you have at least a tiny bit of fear in there?" he asked desperately. Sasuke's gaze softened and he brushed away the tears that were forming.

"Where were you when the rockets came to life, Naruto? I've been around these things nearly my whole life- I've seen countless failures and I've seen successful attempts. I have no fear. I trust in my commanders," he told the blond with a slight smile, ceasing any arguments.

"I hate you," Naruto whispered, pushing away from the raven and stalking out of the changing room to go back to his house. Sasuke could see himself off, he decided.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Summit the Sunset; dubtail the dragnet. And blow your backbone to bits!~..._

* * *

><p><em><span>1138 hours<span>_

The house phone rang, bringing the blond out of his dark aura. Cautiously, he answered and heard the familiar bustle of the space station in the background.

"What do you want, teme?" he asked, squeezing a pillow to death.

"It's been delayed again," was the only comment that Sasuke managed before he heard sobbing on the other end.

"You're not still hung up on this are you?" he asked, sighing and leaning against the phone box he was using. On the other end, Naruto had stood up and was pacing the room.

"I'm sorry that I care too much for you, you bastard!" he spat out, making Sasuke wince on the other end.

"I bet it's the fire detection system again isn't it?" he snarled. The silence confirmed it all.

"DAMMIT SASUKE! If you die I'll _never_ forgive you!" he hissed, and with that he hung up- but not before whispering a small, almost inaudible 'I love you'.

On the other end, Sasuke heard the small whisper and smiled before putting the phone up on the hanger. He looked to Kakashi who was standing not too far off.

"Do I have time to go home to him?" he asked. Kakashi smiled slightly.

"A few hours. Make them count," he told the Uchiha who just nodded and ran off to his car, getting in and slamming on the gas pedal.

Within a matter of minutes he was at his house, pushing the door open and pulling his boyfriend into a hug.

"I have a few hours before we have to go," he whispered, kissing Naruto passionately on the lips. The blond just returned the kiss as passionately.

"Bedroom- now!" he ordered. Sasuke had no complaints, even lifting the blond up bridal style to carry him onto their double bed. He laid the blond down gently and climbed on top of him, stripping him of any clothes. Soon enough, the two were naked on the bed, panting in the aroma of lust, sweat and sex.

It was quick and fast- not how they would usually do it. It was panicked and desperate- they knew that there'd be a separation afterwards. As they were reaching their climax, Naruto reached up and pulled his lover down so that his ear was level with his mouth.

"I love you so much you bastard- don't you dare die on me! I'll be lost without you- you're everything to me," he whispered, earning a passionate kiss and a more enthusiastic thrust which lead to a deep moan.

"I promise that I won't leave you, Naruto- that's the last thing I want to do," he replied.

"You're my world and everything beyond. When I get back, I'll have no need for space- because I'll have you," he continued, making tears appear in the corner of cerulean blue eyes as they climaxed together.

As they lay there in the sweat and soiled bed-sheets, Naruto hung closer.

"Please stay," he whispered.

And as Naruto drifted off, Sasuke considered what he had to say.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Dear God I was terribly Lost when the Galaxies crossed and the Sun went Dark~..._

* * *

><p><em><span>1638 hours<span>_

Sasuke braced himself in the seat with the rest of his team. They were lifting off and so far all had gone well.

Then the engines started to shudder.

A solid fuel plug became dislodged from the field joint on the right SRB; and from that moment on the fate of both The Challenger and her crew was sealed.

Sasuke looked questioningly to Kakashi who just looked back with a nod.

"This is perfectly normal- don't worry," he soothed every one, easing their nerves.

"Should we go all throttles up?" Kakashi asked CAPCOM.

"Roger, go at throttle up," was the reply. Kakashi nodded before pressing a few buttons. A massive bang from the rear sounded and Sasuke jumped, as well as Kakashi.

"Oh no," Kakashi mumbled as they reached the altitude of 30,000 feet. Sasuke started to panic- feeling the fear that Naruto had said he felt for him and he understood now- he understood how it felt to be in his boyfriend's position.

"Dear God," he mumbled, gripping onto his seat. His eyes squeezed themselves shut as he felt the plane nose-dive towards the ocean.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~But Dear God you're the only North Star I would Follow this Far~..._

* * *

><p><em><span>1639 hours<span>_

Naruto was annoyed to say the least when he was awoken to the sound of the phone ringing. Sluggishly, he made his way over to it and pressed the answer button.

"N'yello?" he asked, sitting down on his sofa. There was a sobbing in the background and chaos. It was Hinata- Kiba's wife.

"Naruto-kun! Turn on the Channel 5 news, NOW!" she yelled through her sobs. Panicking, he instantly did just that. The phone fell from his hand as on the TV screen he saw The Challenger descend into the ocean.

His heart turned into an empty abyss at the sight of the impact. No-one, _nobody_, could've survived that impact. Naruto was aware that he had to breathe but he couldn't find the strength.

"No," he whispered, kneeling down on the rug in front of the TV.

"NO!" he shouted, clutching at his chest, tears streaming down his face. He could hear Hinata sobbing over the phone too- obviously aware of the situation.

"Teme! You selfish bastard!" he screamed to no-one in particular as he watched the debris slip into the deep, unforgiving ocean.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

* * *

><p><em><span>January 28th, 1986, 1700 hours<span>_

The blond stood at the space station where his life had been taken away from him- his reason for living. A radio and TV announcment was going out by the President, for remembering the 'heroes' that gave their lives for 'adventure' and 'challenges'. He could hear the speech over the speakers in the courtyard. His hands clenched into fists as he listened to the speech being given.

Sasuke may have given his life for a cause- but he'd left Naruto after he'd promised not to. The blond sighed and looked up to the skies, the message still going on in the background.

'_The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth_ _to to__uch the face of God.'_

The blond turned his back on the station, clutching tightly in his fist something that had been left on the bedside table when Sasuke had left.

His crystal necklace.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Call back the CAPCOM Tick off the time bomb let Felicity fly. Armor the air-lock blanket the bedrock~..._

_...~And Kiss the Planet Goodbye~..._

* * *

><p><em><span>January 28th, 1986, 1223 hours<span>_

Sasuke sat up on his bed, covers pooling around his waist as the blond slept beside him, hand reaching out as if to try and catch him. Sasuke smiled slightly at the sight but then frowned. The bad feeling in his gut was growing and he couldn't help but feel a little fear as he glanced at the peaceful face of his boyfriend. Sighing, he took the necklace off from around his neck and placed it onto the bedside table. He also found a small notepad that they used when they needed to write down what groceries they required. A small note of farewell was written and placed inside the drawer before he stood up and went for a shower.

The pleas of Naruto were still fresh in his mind as he showered the remnants of his love away. As he exited the shower, he entered the bedroom again and felt his pulse quicken as he witnessed his boyfriend chew on his pillow. He was going to miss that.

He was going to miss everything.

Every.

Single.

Thing.

Before he left once more, he walked over to the wardrobe and withdrew and orange scarf- one that he'd bought for Naruto in the December just gone and packed it with him. He vowed he'd be home soon.

* * *

><p><em>...~Galaxies~...<em>

_...~Where was I when the Rockets came to Life and Carried You Away into the Alligator Sky?~..._

* * *

><p><strong>There we go :3 Angsty, ne? But yeah, as I've said- there's gunna be no preview for the next one because I can never really stick to an order. This was meant to be number six but unfortunately... yeah : **

**Okay! SO! Owl City owns the lyrics to 'Galaxies' and I also used the lyrics to 'Alligator Sky' for the ending bit :3 Just 'cause that song's just as epic and fitting :3**

**I hope you...well. I can't really say ENJOYED but- deem it worthy enough for a review?**


	4. Do Not Disturb

**Author's Note:** It's really annoying during the exam season because after I've finished revising, I have a load of free time so I might as well not be on a temporary hiatus. Oh well, I don't think you guys are complaining if you get chapters and stories are you? But this one has humour in it- you deserve it after all of the angsty-ness!

**Warnings:** Humour, swearing, brief mentions of SasuSaku and implied InoSaku

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I don't own Naruto at all. It sucks :/

* * *

><p><strong>Do Not Disturb<strong>

"An hour Lunch people!"

The voice of Sennin Jiraiya came through a megaphone and the star of the latest film, Uchiha Sasuke, just sighed, running his hand through his spiked up hair. They had been filming all day for a new horror movie coming out and he was tired. The lead actress, a woman named Haruno Sakura, walked up to him.

"So, Sasuke-kun- do you want to go on a date sometime?" she asked shyly. Despite the fact she was meant to be Sasuke's love interest in the film, he felt nothing towards her but annoyance and maybe a slight bit of friendship.

"You know I'm not into women, Sakura- why do you keep asking?" he questioned, looking to her. She stuttered slightly and glanced around before leaning in.

"I'm trying to make Ino jealous," she whispered. Sasuke's eyes widened. So he was a tool she was using. He just sighed and ran a hand down his face before spotting sight of Ino coming towards him. Seeing as he wasn't entirely heartless, he decided to help the girl out.

"Sure Sakura, I'll go on a date with you." He replied, making the other woman freeze on the spot and glance towards the two of them before huffing and turning away. Sakura smirked at Sasuke.

"Thanks for helping me out. I'll just pretend you stood me up tonight," she told the raven who just nodded before turning around and coming face to face with his P.A, Uzumaki Naruto.

"AH!" he yelled slightly, seeing the sudden appearance of tan skin, blond hair and blue eyes. There was suddenly a dazzling smile taking over the features of his P.A slash best friend.

"So, you're going on a date with Sakura, huh?" he asked, walking with Sasuke to the star's trailer. Sasuke perked up- this was the perfect opportunity to make his secret crush jealous!

"Yup. I'm picking her up tonight at seven," he replied, glancing to his right to take note of his friend's reaction. There was something forced about the action.

"Oh, that's great. I'm sure your fans will be devastated though. Sakura might even get some hate posts on her Twitter," he joked slightly, not feeling the laugh that came from his throat.

"Mhm," was Sasuke's reply. Naruto was nervous and turned to look at his best friend with desperate eyes.

"Were you lying when you told me you were gay? Or is Haruno a special case?" he asked, wanting to know what had happened to his friend's awkward confession during secondary school. Sasuke saw this as a vulnerable opening.

"Sakura-chan is a special case," he replied, putting a dreamy look in his eye. Sasuke saw Naruto falter a few steps at the pet name.

"I- I need to go," he muttered, rushing off in the opposite direction, trying to hide his devastated face. He wasn't watching where he was going and somehow ended up on set in the middle of the forest scene. Naruto was panting harshly at the sprint but wiped at his eyes, feeling the tears that had gathered there.

"Stupid Sasuke," he muttered, bending over and trying to catch his breath when he heard footsteps behind him. He stopped panting and wiped at his eyes once more before turning where he had heard the sound.

"Hello?" he asked, looking into the fake foliage. A chuckle sounded behind him and the blond jumped on the spot, turning around to come face to face with their ex-manager and Jiraiya's brother, Orochimaru.

"What's a little P.A doing out here all by their lonesome?" he asked, stepping closer whilst Naruto stepped back.

"I was getting away," he muttered, not at all comfortable with the situation he was in. A perverse leer was sent in his direction by the man and Naruto shuddered.

"Why would you be trying to get away? And why would you be calling our precious Sasuke-kun stupid?" he asked, his leer morphing into a grin of sadistic glee when he saw the hurt cross the tan face. A pale hand outstretched and grabbed the blond's cheeks, stroking along the whisker scars he had obtained as a result of bullying in secondary school. Naruto pulled back, not enjoying the attention one bit and turned on his heel.

"I need to get going," he stated, gaining no more than ten metres distance when he felt a hand cover his mouth and an arm snake around his waist. Next came the lips and tongue on his neck. Cerulean blue eyes widened at the feeling and he tried to push himself away whilst the adult just started to nip and suck. He eventually managed to push himself away, gasping for air as he did so.

"You sick freak!" he squeaked and just dashed away through the plastic leaves until he found an opening, crashing into someone as he did so. He looked up to be met with kind brown eyes and red triangle tattoos. His second best friend and side character in the movie, Inuzuka Kiba. He took in the blond's appearance and shaky breaths before a frown overtook his features.

"What's wrong Foxy?" he asked, putting a hand on the blond's shoulder. His eyes then travelled to the mark on his friend's neck.

"Whoa dude, did you get necked?" he asked the blond with an impressed voice. A shaky tan hand reached for his neck where the mark was.

"I-is there a mark there?" he asked. Kiba nodded with a grin.

"Who was i-" his question was interrupted when the blond ran over to the nearest bin and threw up. Tears were forming at the thought before he turned to Kiba.

"Where's Ino?" he asked hurriedly. Ino was the make-up artist and she always managed to apply realistic make-up; it was one of the many reasons why Konoha Film Agency was so famous. Naruto needed to cover up the mark.

"She's in Sakura's dressing room but I don't think you should-" he was interrupted once again as Naruto blindly ran to the pinkette's dressing room. He burst in without thinking.

"Ino-chan! I need you to…" his sentence trailed off when he saw the two women locked in a passionate embrace, hands trailing and going towards… As quick as he had burst in, he slammed the door shut behind him. He was shaking.

'_What's wrong with me?'_ he shuddered, walking off in a daze.

"Naruto?" said blond just froze on the spot and tensed up on hearing the voice. The blond span on the spot, slapping his hand onto his own neck to hide the mark that he had yet to cover up.

"Sasuke! What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to ignore some of the breathy moans that were coming from the other side of the door. Sasuke realised this and his raven eyebrow shot into the skies before he placed a sign on the door marked 'Do Not Disturb' and waved his hand forward as if to say 'Shall we walk?' Naruto just blushed and rubbed his hand on his neck over the mark, feeling slightly ill. The two walked away from the room and ended up on the main set- a decrepit old shack. It was open, facing a lot of cameras.

"Are you okay Naruto?" Sasuke asked, eyeing the blond and the hand on his neck.

"Have you hurt your neck?" the raven enquired, reaching to touch the neck. He was shocked when Naruto's other hand slapped his away. He looked into the usually cheerful blue to see fear underlying them.

"I need to find Hinata," he whispered, walking away, still covering his neck. Hinata was Ino's make-up assistant so she was obviously the second choice to go for. Sasuke just remained where Naruto had left him. There was the sound of footsteps behind him and Sasuke span on the spot to come face to face with Orochimaru.

"What's wrong with him?" the older man asked. Sasuke shrugged.

"He called you stupid earlier by the way," the man added. Sasuke looked towards him with a confused look.

"Oh? Why'd he do that?" he asked. Orochimaru chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest.

"He was also rather upset. I think he was crying," Orochimaru added, not even bothering to answer Sasuke's question. Onyx eyes widened as he looked to where the blond had disappeared. There was a soft hiss from behind him.

"If you like him, you'd better snatch him up before somebody else steals his innocence," the black haired man remarked before seeming to dissolve into the shadows. Sasuke frowned at the last remark but shrugged it off as he went to find Hinata- that's where he'd find the blond. If he had been crying, then he'd obviously taken the fake-date idea too far. He found the make-up artist as she was just saying goodbye to the blond who no longer had his hand over his neck. It looked normal to Sasuke so he ignored it. When Naruto turned around, he jumped at seeing Sasuke there.

"Teme! Don't _do_ that!" Naruto gasped, placing a hand over his heart.

"Dobe, apparently you were upset earlier. What was wrong?" Sasuke asked. Naruto froze on the spot, not knowing how to answer the raven. He stuttered a few times before Kiba caught him.

"Hey Foxy- why'd you cover up the hickey?" he yelled. Nearly everyone within a ten foot radius turned to the blond. Sasuke's eyes snapped to Naruto's neck where he could now see the concealer. He felt his mood sour.

"Who did that?" Sasuke asked, jealousy radiating off of him. Naruto gulped, feeling the eyes of everyone upon his person.

"I- I gotta go!" he gasped before sprinting away through a gap in the crowd that had gathered. There were quick footsteps behind him and he just pressed on further before he tipped over some camera wires. He softened the landing by rolling slightly and ended up in the abandoned old shack again. He was breathing heavily as he landed flat on his back, looking up.

'_Why can't I just accept that he likes Sakura- but she was with Ino. Does she know? _

Sasuke just looked to where the blond had vanished and sighed.

"We're back for filming!" Jiraiya yelled. Sasuke looked towards the set they were going to use- the old cabin. Naruto walked out, looking frustratedly towards the raven but ignored him when he asked what was wrong.

"Why do you bother?" he hissed. Sasuke's eyes widened at the scathing remark before he was called on set, leaving Naruto to dump himself unceremoniously onto his personal chair.

"Stupid teme," he muttered under his breath as he watched the actors and actresses assemble. Sakura and Sasuke were standing next to each other and Naruto glared at them both. They didn't even suit each other! He pouted and looked to see Ino also glaring- but she was glaring at Sasuke. It was then that Naruto decided to ask her something.

"Hey, Ino-chan- I accidentally walked in on you and Sakura earlier. Wasn't she going on a date with Sasuke?" he asked, not wanting to spoil the girl's mood. Ino blanched and looked to her favourite P.A before laughing.

"Oh my god Naruto- she only asked him to make me jealous and he agreed to play along!" she told the blond, who's jaw had dropped.

"Y-you're kidding, right?" he asked, hoping that she actually was- that meant that he still had a chance! Ino nodded.

"Did Sasuke not tell you?" she asked, facing the scene where the two were now about to kiss. A growl ripped through her throat and Naruto couldn't help but agree.

"This isn't happening," he decided. Ino watched in frustration as the stars' lips were about to touch. The scene was interrupted, however, when a flash of blond replaced pink, tan lips crashing onto those of the raven's and forcing him back with how hard he kissed him. Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise and there were several cat calls and whistles before Jiraiya snapped at everyone to shut up. Sakura had been shoved back by a tan hand, her lips still puckered- and the blond was pressing his lips to Sasuke's, his body practically melding with the other's.

"Teme," Naruto muttered against the raven's lips. Sasuke was stood there, stunned, before smirking. He wrapped his arms around the blond's waist lifting him up with the force that he kissed him.

"Dobe," was the reply as he grabbed the tan hand and dragged him to his trailer. The blond stood on the higher step, looking down to the raven.

"I love you," was the confession that slipped from his lips. Sasuke chuckled.

"I love you too- now get your ass in this trailer!" he ordered with a grin. Naruto chuckled and squeaked when he felt a hand on his rear before entering the trailer. Sasuke followed and checked around the entrance before shutting the trailer door.

The 'Do Not Disturb' sign swung as the trailer did.

* * *

><p><strong>Quite rushed, I know- but at least there's no death in this one, eh? I hope you guys deem it worthy of a review- in all honesty, I have no idea why Orochimaru stepped in- I guess he could've been helping in his own freaky way- I had more sinister things planned but then I thought 'nah- that's enough angst already'. Anyways, I'll try and update soon!<strong>

**xCGx**


	5. Waiting

**Author's Note:** Okay, for those who read my dA profile, you'll be expecting my 'Dark Carnival' one-shot for this thang. Unfortunately, that's on a different database, and was pretty far in- I tried to get my sister to e-mail it to me, but she was in Germany when I finished this, so yeah XD For now, enjoy this short one :) It was sort of based off true events. I was Itachi, my little sister was Sasuke and her friend was Naruto, only my sister and her friend aren't in love and I don't have a crush on my little sister's best friend XD

Enjoy!

**Warnings:** Fluff, angst, SasuNaru, suggested ItaNaru

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto reserves all rights.

* * *

><p><strong>Waiting<strong>

Itachi sighed as he exited the school building, watching intently as his breath curled up in the air, before retreating into nothingness. It was the end of the Autumn term, and his school was breaking up for the Christmas Holidays, so Itachi had every reason to be cold. He drew his scarf closer around his neck- almost choking himself in the process- and went to continue on his merry way home. The elder Uchiha had stayed late after school to attend a club for extra credit- that he needed in his sixth form career- and so there weren't many students of the actual school itself still milling about the entrance. Konoha Secondary School and Sixth Form was known for its loitering students and the teachers usually had a hard time dispelling the stray students at the end of the day, but seeing as it _was_ the last day of term, the teachers would let them have a longer time at hanging around after school hours. However, it had been at least an hour and a half since the end of the school day, and nobody in their right mind would've stayed for that long.

At least Itachi thought.

As he walked past the back entrance, he noticed a small blond sitting against the wall, knees hugged to his chest, a flimsy orange scarf trying its best to give its owner some warmth. Itachi did a double take, for he knew this blond. It was his little brother's best friend, Uzumaki Naruto. Moreover, he was obviously waiting for said little brother. Curious, for Itachi didn't know why the blond would stay this late, he decided to approach the boy.

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing here so late?" Itachi asked, crouching to the boy's height on the floor. The fourteen-year-old looked up, blue eyes locking with an intense, dark brown. He blinked owlishly and a small smile flickered across his features, hope filling his eyes.

"Itachi! Have you seen Sasuke yet?" he asked, obviously assuming that the older brother would know where his best friend was. Itachi frowned, recalling that he'd seen his little brother out of the classroom window exit the school before the blond. He frowned, not knowing why this notion upset him so much.

"He left with Suigetsu when the bell rang- did he not wait for you?" Itachi asked, noticing the fall of expression on the blond's face.

"O-oh, no, he didn't," the blond replied quietly, looking downcast. Itachi swallowed but extended his hand out to help the blond up.

"Do you want to walk with me?" the older raven asked, pulling the light blond up. Naruto nodded, pulling his scarf around tighter, and tugging at his luminescent orange gloves that provided much dexterity. Itachi offered the blond a rare smile as they started down the road.

The Uchiha's and Uzumaki's had been long-term neighbours, and the adults of the house had formed a strong bond, becoming best friends over the years. The bond had only strengthened when the youngest members, Sasuke and Naruto, had become somewhat best friends. The walk from the house to the school was barely ten minutes, just over five minutes, really. Naruto walked beside the elder sibling, still looking downcast at the fact that the younger Uchiha had left without him, and left him waiting for over an hour, when he so obviously wasn't going to be returning any time soon. After the first ten minutes, Naruto had assumed that the other raven had been subjected to a detention. Half an hour after that, he assumed that either his best friend had done something terribly wrong, or forced into an after school club. Even when an hour had passed, the blond still didn't give up hope, thinking that the raven wouldn't abandon him. His musings were cut short when he bumped into Itachi's broad back. The raven smiled down at the blond, and Naruto smiled back, rubbing his nose.

"Sorry," he muttered. Itachi just blinked.

"Would you like to come in?" he asked Naruto, thinking of offering the blond a hot chocolate and a chance to talk to his little brother. Naruto just kindly declined the offer, before walking up his own garden path, leaving a stunned Itachi behind. He just shrugged it off, entering his house, finding Sasuke with his feet up on the sofa, bucket of popcorn in his hand, watching _The Exorcist_. Itachi blinked, noting his brother's carefree behaviour.

"Good afternoon, Otouto. How was school?" Itachi asked, smirking a little when the younger boy jumped.

"Itachi! It was fine. Glad it's the holidays now," he smiled slightly, returning to the movie. Itachi frowned, noticing the lack of explanation of something stupid Naruto had done- usually the blond would get up to no good throughout the day, and Sasuke would relay it to his brother after school. The older sibling hummed in contemplation.

"I walked with Naruto today," he commented, noting the slight tensing in his younger brother's posture. Sasuke paused the movie and turned to face his brother, a slight panicked look on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Itachi sat down next to his brother.

"He was waiting for you outside of school. Why didn't you wait for him?" Itachi asked his little brother. Sasuke looked downcast.

"Suigetsu and I had made some plans, but I forgot to tell him. Is he okay?" Sasuke asked, worriedly. Itachi hummed.

"He looked a little upset and cold, but otherwise fine," Itachi relayed, noticing the barely-there flinch his brother emitted. Itachi let out a sharp breath through his nostrils.

"Don't let it happen again, little brother- you don't want to lose your friend, do you?" Itachi asked. Sasuke flinched once more when Itachi patted him on the shoulder and left the room. Onyx eyes stared deep into the popcorn bucket, wondering how to make things better.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Years Later…<strong>

Itachi opened one eye from under his sunglasses as he lay spread out in his swim shorts on his mother's garden chair. A now sixteen-year-old blond was leaning against his own garden fence, back to the Uchiha as he fiddled with something in his hands. Curious, the taller raven- who was now in University- lifted the sunglasses up to the top of his head, brushing back his ponytail, and approached the fence. He leant over, glancing at what the blond was fiddling with. It was a paintball gun, filled with orange paintballs. He also noticed how the blond kept on glancing at his watch and sighing minutely.

"Is everything okay?" Itachi asked, leaning over the fence, bare chest facing the dazzled blond, who stuttered in return.

"U-uh, yeah. I'm just waiting for Sasuke," he smiled slightly. Itachi frowned, taking the sunglasses off from the top of his head and folding them up.

"Why?" Itachi asked curiously. Naruto smirked and shook the paintball gun.

"We agreed to go to the park and have a paintball war!" he grinned, making Itachi grow nervous.

"Sasuke went out about two hours ago with Karin, Suigetsu and some other guy," Itachi recalled, not being one to keep up with Sasuke's friends, apart from Naruto, that is. He saw the way the expression visibly fell on the blond's face and wished he could immediately take his words back.

"O-oh," he replied, a little anger mixing in with the hurt. Itachi hummed and frowned.

"How long have you been waiting?" Itachi asked, tilting his head. Naruto sighed and checked his watch.

"About two hours," he replied quietly. Itachi's eyes widened in shock, before he frowned and looked towards his younger sibling's bedroom.

"Wait here a second," he told the blond. Naruto nodded solemnly and as Itachi entered through his back door, he briefly heard the phrase 'that's what Sasuke said' emit from the blond. Itachi felt a bit of anger crawl into his stomach at that before he stormed into Sasuke's room, grabbing the paintball that was filled with dark blue paint balls, before pulling on a t-shirt and pair of sandals. He left a hastily scrawled message on his brother's memo-board, which had a picture of Sasuke and Naruto tacked to it in the bottom left corner. The elder brother appeared back before the blond less than five minutes later, unleashing a paintball onto the white shirt the blond was sporting. The blond yelped out in pain, turning around, grinning when he saw Itachi standing there, sunglasses down, looking like a badass with his sunglasses and smirk.

It wasn't until the two retired in the late evening that Sasuke trudged through the door, grumbling about a pathetic film that Karin had dragged him to, when he saw the paintball gun on the kitchen side. He frowned, and his heart sank when he remembered what he'd agreed to do that day. He rubbed a hand down his face, sighing exasperatedly.

"Fuck," he hissed, before going upstairs and into his own room, where left on his memo-board was a note from Itachi.

_He was waiting for you again._

Sadness overtook the younger sibling's eyes and he collapsed onto his bed, images of how much better the day would've been if he hadn't gone with Suigetsu and Karin, but instead stayed home with the blond and massacred him in a paintball war. After all, it had taken much convincing to let their parents actually _buy_ them both a paintball gun in the first place, and today they were going to break them in. A sudden burst of muffled laughter caught his attention, and he looked out of his bedroom window- that overlooked his back garden, allowing him to see into Naruto's as well- to see Itachi and Naruto running around the blond's garden in a water fight. Itachi had the hose whilst Naruto had his own water-drencher. Sasuke swallowed at the image. He should've been where Itachi was. Frustrated, he closed his curtains and flopped down on his bed, thinking of how he could make everything better the following day.

* * *

><p><strong>One Week Later<strong>

Naruto grinned, walking up the front path of the Uchiha house. After the paintballing incident, Sasuke had approached him and apologised profusely, offering to take the blond out for ramen the following week. If he were to be honest with himself, Naruto was more than a little nervous about the event. Sasuke had invited him out for dinner, yes, but he was sure the raven had only had friendly intentions- not that Naruto's mind didn't care about straying towards…other possibilities. He took in a deep breath, fidgeted with the bottom of his orange t-shirt, before raising his hand to knock on the wooden door. The door opened, revealing the younger Uchiha in just a towel and dripping wet hair.

"Ah! Naruto! I just got out the shower," he replied, a tad sheepishly. Naruto had been stunned to silence at the view, blushing slightly, trying to look anywhere but at the chest that was revealed to him and the slight trail of dark hair that was shyly peeking from the top of the towel.

"A-ah, that's okay, I'll just wait," he smiled shakily, avoiding eye contact. Sasuke frowned, noting the red cheeks, leaning forward to place a hand on the blond's tanned forehead.

"Dobe, are you alright? You look a little flushed," he frowned, feeling the temperature of the blond. Naruto shook his head.

"N-no, I'm fine! Go get changed!" the blond all but squeaked, rushing inside the house and to the living room, a hand over his mouth. Sasuke frowned and shrugged, closing the front door and walking upstairs.

"I'll be five minutes," he called down to the blond, receiving a small 'okay' in reply. In his room, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at his reflection in his mirror. Naruto had been so flushed at his appearance, and Sasuke was betting it was for the reason he thought. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he grabbed a pair of underwear, slipping it on under his towel, before using said item to dry his hair. He glanced to the outfit Itachi had picked out for him earlier in the day and pulled it on, noticing the way that the clothes felt a tiny bit tight. Checking himself out in the mirror, he understood why, and an amused twinkle appeared in his eye as he glanced at the reflection. The dark blue shirt revealed his toned stomach by clinging desperately to the flesh beneath it. His grey jeans clung to his legs, revealing how slender they were and the studded belt hung loosely on his hips. Happy with his appearance, he grabbed his navy-coloured converse, and headed down the stairs with them in his hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he smirked, the smirk threatening to split his face in half when he saw the blond blush a deep crimson.

"A-ah, it's okay!" Naruto squeaked. Sasuke rolled his eyes, sitting on the bottom of the stairs to put on his converse. Naruto waited patiently for the raven to tie up his laces, and smiled gently when they both approached the front door. Deciding to go in for the kill, Sasuke pasted on his best smile and looked to the blond.

"You look _really_ great, Dobe," he told the blond, who flushed an even deeper shade of red (if that was even possible now by that point). Sasuke just smirked to himself, placing his hands in his jeans pockets as they walked down the darkening streets whilst Naruto kept semi-silent, glancing every which way except the Uchiha next to him. Until eventually…

"You look really good too, Teme," came a small mumble that was heard by the raven nonetheless. A small smile replaced the smirk as they took a detour into the park. A small smile was on the blond's lips as he noted the surrounding trees. Sasuke noted the smile and felt a little sick. It wasn't as though he was going to vomit… but that smile… he couldn't quite place on how else he was feeling at that moment. It felt as though his stomach had dropped through his feet on an intense rollercoaster ride to Hell before his heart was being crushed by a boa constrictor. He was mesmerised by the sight- he didn't want time to move forward, he wanted to stay in that moment forever. If he were to be perfectly honest with himself at that very moment, he would've admitted to feeling glad that he'd left the blond waiting the week before, otherwise he wouldn't be in that moment in which he were being glad of such things.

"Teme? Are you feeling okay?" Naruto asked, peering up into onyx eyes. Sasuke swallowed, looking back into the ocean pools before swallowing again. He wanted to open his mouth, but he was afraid he'd be sick. He wanted to be able to move, but he was frozen to the spot. He wanted to grab the blond and... and _kiss_ him. He wanted to shake himself to stop what was happening. He wanted the moment to cease, because he was scared at what would happen if it didn't.

"Teme? Don't ignore me!"

Sasuke swallowed once more, glancing at the lips he wanted to experience on his own. His own trembled slightly, before parting only mere millimetres.

"A-ah, I, uh," Large, blue, innocent eyes were gazing into his own, and Sasuke felt his blood rush to his face, the air being stolen from his lungs as he neglected to take a breath. The blue vanished momentarily before appearing again.

A blink.

A soft hand on his own as the blond moved closer, both boys taking a deep breath. Sasuke's mouth closed the mere few millimetres it had opened and his eyes widened to epic proportions as he saw the blond stand onto his tiptoes, almost standing flush against the chest that was currently being bombarded by a briskly beating heart trying to escape. It was just as their lips were a hair's breadth away from one another's when Sasuke decided he'd had enough of waiting for his mind to respond, instead letting his body take control. The hand holding the blond's tightened in grip, moving to the hip whilst his other grasped the blond's lower back, pulling him closer. Their lips connected, causing a lightning bolt of a spark to course through the bodies of both boys. Briefly, Sasuke felt Naruto gasp, and took the opportunity to slide his tongue into the blond's mouth, earning a pleased moan. He smiled slightly. It was then that his head caught up with his heart- saw what he had been missing all those years. Secretly though, the raven was glad he'd been left waiting to experience his best friend as more.

There was a small gasp from the younger male as they broke away, and Sasuke noted how beautiful the blond looked when he was flushed, freshly kissed lips on display for him to see. A smile made its way onto his face as he tried to pull the blond even closer to himself, making the blond giggle slightly.

"Any closer and I'll be part of your shirt," he whispered, bringing a hand up to trace the pale jawline. Sasuke smirked in return.

"At least then I'd always have you," he muttered, making the blond flush and grin before a short chuckle emitted from his throat. The small chuckle then escalated into peals of laughter, and Sasuke felt himself join in as the blond vibrated against his chest. Eventually Naruto drew breath and pressed himself closer.

"I'm glad you kept me waiting last week," he muttered, earning a kiss to the top of his head in response.

"Yeah, me too," he replied with a smile.

Because it was the waiting that made it all the more sweeter.

* * *

><p><strong>D: Oh my God! It's a… <strong>_**happy**_** ending from me? What happened? As always, the original was much angstier (and about two thousand words longer) but then I thought, "Nah, this is MUCH better!". **

**So, I hope you enjoyed 'Waiting'. 'Carnival' should (hopefully) be the next one out, but if not, then expect a Potterverse as the theme is "Mischief Managed". It might be extremely long because recently I had a Harry Potter Marathon (eight films in one day- it was EPIC!) and my inspiration is sky high!**

**Also, a small bit of advertising. Around Hallowe'en time, I'm uploading a new Naruto FanFic :3 It's a Horror/Supernatural (with big hints of SasuNaru) and it goes by the name of 'Possessed'. Just in case you guys like that stuff XD**

**Until next time~**


	6. Carnival

**Author's Note:** Well, this is the next of my 100 one-shots (aren't we all happy?) This was mainly inspired by a nightmare I had the other night, and it was even better when I was in the shower and suddenly thought 'OMFG, One of the words is 'Carnival' and so I thought along the lines of 'Dark Carnival'. I hope you enjoy it! Sorry it's so late, by the way- I started this a month ago, but it wouldn't save on my memory stick, and thne my sister went to Germany (ironic, huh?) so she couldn't e-mail it to me- but hey, you got it now!

**Warnings:** SasuNaru, horror, evil clowns and some gore/violence- and obviously swearing XD

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto holds all rights to the characters used. I am making no profit from these stories.

* * *

><p><strong>Carnival<strong>

The lights could be seen from a distance over a hill. Nevertheless, who would decide to hold a carnival in the middle of nowhere? That was the thought that flew through Uzumaki Naruto's head as he clutched the steering wheel of the navy-blue and cream type 2, split-screen, Volkswagen Campervan. He eyed the attraction with curiosity before turning to his raven companion, as if silently asking for his opinion.

"We should check it out," the raven with duck-butt hair muttered with a small grin. Naruto grimaced, cerulean blue eyes hiding behind his blond fringe. The cool night air blew through the only-opened-an-inch windows as the campervan trundled down the German hills, allowing the old vehicle to gather some speed. Eventually, the blond pulled in to the crowded car park. Despite it being almost midnight and in the middle of nowhere, the attraction seemed to hold some popular attention. Naruto swallowed as he eyed the strobe lights, and clutched the steering wheel tighter. His tall companion looked to him.

"Dobe, you okay?" he asked the blond, who just smacked his head on the overly-large steering wheel.

"I'm fine teme, just a bit tired from driving all day," he muttered, looking to the raven with tired eyes. Onyx eyes that belong to the raven softened, and he reached over to rub his best friend's arm.

"Look, you don't have to check it out if you don't want. I know you hate clowns," he muttered, earning a light shiver from the blond in response. Naruto had developed one of the World's worst phobias at the tender age of nine, when he had been out trick-or-treating. He had been walking around when he'd been jumped by a man in a psychotic clown costume, and left on the side of the road until somebody had found him and called an ambulance. Ever since then, Naruto wouldn't even go into McDonald's because he hated Ronald. A small, gentle smile was sent to the raven, but Naruto shrugged.

"It won't exactly kill me to check it out- plus my legs could use a stretch," he muttered, pushing himself up and stretching his arms up and over his head, missing the way the dark onyx eyes lingered on the exposed flesh when his top rode up. Sasuke sighed, grabbing the two jackets from the back- Naruto's being orange, his being navy-blue- and handing the blond his own. Naruto smiled gently at the raven, their hands brushing ever so slightly as the garment was passed over. The two University students pulled on their jackets- Naruto pocketing the keys to the campervan in his own- and stepped out into the crisp night air. The grass was damp, slightly springy and muddy beneath their feet from the earlier rain, but they paid no mind as they made their way in a comfortable silence towards the entrance of the carnival. As they approached the ticket office, Naruto couldn't help but shiver and shove his hands deeper into his pockets. Sat in a small tent was a boy no older than they were, face covered by an orange swirl mask.

"Willkommen im Karneval Akatsuki! Der Eintritt ist kostenlos!" the boy told them enthusiastically, obviously not catching on to the fact they were foreigners.

"Ah, Danke Tobi," Sasuke replied, eyeing the teen's nametag. Naruto sighed, his breath turning to mist in the cool air and spiralling upwards. They walked in through the flashing entrance, captivated by the sights before them. The carnival seemed to be in full swing, many people at stalls, playing games. They walked past a stall that was being tended to by a man with blue-tinted skin, the prize for the stall being a goldfish in a bag. Sasuke noticed the blond's distracted gaze and looked to see that he was smiling slightly at the orange fish.

"Dobe, you know we can't get a fish," Sasuke muttered, earning a nod in agreement.

"I know," Naruto replied as they walked to the centre. Upon nearing the centre, a huge marquee caught their attention, a black chalkboard outside with the viewing times all written in whit chalk imprinted. Sasuke checked his watch and then turned to the blond.

"The next showing is in two minutes- wanna watch?" he asked the blond, who frowned.

"If any clowns appear, you know the drill," he told the raven who nodded as they entered the tent, taking the last two vacant seats in the front row. As the blond settled down, he glanced around, taking in how many people were actually here, despite the location and time of the event.

'_Maybe it's a popular event?'_ the blond thought to himself. To his right, sat Sasuke, and to his left sat a raven-haired woman with pale eyes. She was leaning tiredly against a brunet with glaring red triangle tattoos on his cheeks. With an almost minute sigh, Naruto turned to look at his best friend with an almost longing look, wishing to do the same. He was afraid that Sasuke'd find it weird- even though the two had been sharing a bed for the last four months when they decided to have a gap year and tour Europe together. Throwing most caution to the wind, he gently leant against the raven, yawning slightly from the long day's journey. Sasuke's eyes barely widened as he looked down at the blond who was lying against his side, tired, and the raven almost felt guilty for taking him to the carnival after they'd been driving all day. He didn't have much time to think on why enjoyed the feeling of being leant on by Naruto, as the lights suddenly shut out. There were many surprised yells and Sasuke felt a hand tighten around his arm, but when the stage lights flashed into existence, he could confirm that it was his travelling companion. He settled back slightly- Naruto still leaning into him- intent on watching the show.

The first act consisted of a white-haired boy- yes, a _boy-_ with many extremely large swords, and the crowd watched in awe as he managed to swallow all of them without so much of a flinch or glitch. Naruto's eyes were the size of saucers as he looked on with something akin to admiration.

"That is _so cool_!" he whispered slightly, earning an invisible smirk from the raven. The next act was due to start, and the two travellers were waiting with a nervous anticipation. A blond man with long hair pulled into a ponytail- but not the fringe, that was hanging loose over his left eye- walked into the ring. The audience waited with baited breath, until there was a huge explosion that engulfed the ring and the man, causing several screams. The people in the front row could feel the heat wave, and Sasuke and Naruto went slack-jawed as they saw the man soar above them on a giant bird. The rest of the show went just as surprisingly with many different acts; there was a martial arts group, all with many piercings, a ventriloquist with purple face-paint, an incredibly strong man who could lift buses- unfortunately, he was wearing one of the most hideous outfits, and his eyebrows could've bedded a hamster- and many others. As it neared to the end, everybody was watching with smiles on their faces. The smile instantly dropped from the blond's face, as a man walked in, dressed in a clown costume. Sasuke felt the tensing, and instantly guided Naruto's head to the crook of his neck, wrapping his arms around the smaller male and rubbing orange covered arms reassuringly.

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered into the ear of the upset Uzumaki, who nodded in reply. Sasuke watched the clown with curiosity- it wasn't exactly your stereotypical clown with the red-mouth, white face and cross-eyes, but he was wearing the outfit, and the way he seemed to hold himself was almost psychotic itself. The grin on its face didn't help either. The clown had dark lanky hair, hanging past its shoulders, and his yellow eyes surveyed all the people in the front row with a small hunger. Sasuke felt himself shudder when they scoured over him, but then lingered on the blond in his arms. Onyx clashed with yellow, as if daring the clown to approach him. A creepy smile appeared over the man's face, before he faced the crowd.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Orochimaru, and I run this carnival," he spoke with a heavy German accent, but the English was clear. Sasuke frowned when he looked around, realising that most people in the tent were speaking English with one another. He looked to his left- over the blond- to see the brunet and raven-haired woman conversing, the woman nodding a few times, before going back to face the front. Briefly, Sasuke felt Naruto's breathing pace increase when the man had spoken. He carded his hands gently through soft blond locks, looking back to the centre, not liking the way Orochimaru's eyes were locked on the small blond. And when he licked his lips, Sasuke had to hold back a shudder at the size of the tongue.

"I would like to thank you all for attending this evening. Seeing as it's Hallowe'en, my staff and I have prepared a treat," there were many murmurs of questioning at the end of this statement. Sasuke felt the blond start to shake in his arms, and he looked to his left to see that the woman was starting to look nervous too. In fact, now that he noticed, everybody else was in a group of two or more, and at least one person was looking nervous or ill.

"We want to play a game," was the statement that came from the lips of the man. Sasuke was shocked when there was a barely concealed sob being pressed into his neck. He pulled the blond closer, and without thinking, pressed a soft kiss to the blond's head.

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered, pulling the blond impossibly closer.

"S-Sasuke. T-there's s-s-something wrong!" he moaned into a whisper. Sasuke swallowed- he could feel it too. The way the air seemed to be charged and highly strung.

"It's a scavenger hunt. The prize is your most precious person, if you lose, they die," Orochimaru cackled, before clicking his fingers. Instantly, the light shut out and there were many screams. Sasuke yelled as he felt the weight of the blond disappear from his arms.

"NARUTO!" he yelled into the darkness. He wasn't alone in the shouting, many people shouting for a member of their group. Eventually, the lights turned back on, but it was only one dim light in the centre. This silenced most people, especially when a voice rang through the tent.

"We have taken one person from each group and placed them in a different location with one other person. Your job is to find them before sunrise. The clue as to where to find them is under your seat. The rules are simple; you find them before sunrise, you escape scot-free. If you break the rules, you will be disqualified, and you and your companion –or companions- will not live to see sunrise. Rule number one: All people are in the Carnival Grounds- you must not exit the perimeter. Rule number two: You can use anything you want to get by- be it a hook from the hook-a-duck stand, or even the candyfloss machine. Rule number three: my invidulators will be watching you- you cannot ask them for help of any sort- however, they may help you if they so feel like it. Rule four: you cannot use any means of communication with your partners, for example, mobile phones, pagers, computers or any other electronic device- not even messenger pigeons. Finally: don't get caught. You have six hours until sunrise, good luck." A loud alarm rang out, sure to be heard over the hills they had travelled down.

Sasuke swore, loudly, before stomping back to his chair and looking under it to see an envelope. The brunet next to him was looking panicked, but determined, as he opened the envelope. He saw the brunet pale, and looked to his own.

_Refraction, reflection, critical angle,  
>If you want to help them, with your true self you'll tangle.<br>Passing through corridors, walking into a wall,  
>Only there are a few trap doors to fall.<br>Sunrise approaches, your time is ticking away,  
>But look at sunrise with this, and you'll be blinded anyway.<em>

Sasuke swallowed, and squinted at the message, trying to make sense of the cryptic clue. He looked to the side to see the brunet almost in tears.

"How the _fuck_ am I meant to figure this out?_!_" he stressed to himself. Sasuke walked over to the brunet to see the message he'd received, eyes widening when he saw it was the same as his own.

"Excuse me, but we have the same clue," Sasuke told the brunet, who rounded on him immediately.

"What?" he asked. Sasuke sighed.

"We have the same clue. That dick was saying that our partners were with someone else. Is it possible that Naruto's with your partner?" Sasuke asked, knowing it was true anyway. The brunet looked to the clue.

"Yeah, it most probably is," he muttered, wiping his hand over his face. Sasuke sighed slightly.

"Do you want to check together?" he asked, earning a sceptical look from the brunet.

"But what if Hinata's not with- Naruto? Was it? What'll we do then? You'll most probably leave!" he spat out. Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh.

"How shallow do you think I am? If you'd helped me, but your partner wasn't there, I'd still help you!" Sasuke snapped, earning a sheepish look from the brunet.

"You're right I'm sorry. My name's Kiba, by the way!" the brunet introduced himself, thrusting his hand out. Sasuke shook it strongly.

"Hn, Sasuke," he replied, earning a weak smile in return.

"So, Sasuke, where do we start?"

* * *

><p>Naruto groaned as he awoke from a small slumber, the pain in his head numbing his mind and making him disorientated.<p>

"S'ske?" he slurred into the darkness, earning no reply in return. He blinked a few times, clearing spots from his vision.

"Sasuke!" he demanded more strongly that time. A shifting to his right caused him to jump and swallow, but he relaxed when he realised that it was the raven-haired woman from next to him in the tent.

"E-excuse me, but do you know where I am?" he asked weakly, brain still pounding against his skull. The woman looked at him in shock.

"Uh-um...hm," she replied. Naruto blinked at the reply and then stood up, one hand grasping at the wall behind him for support, the other at his head when it refused to stop drumming in his ears.

"My name's Naruto, by the way. What's yours?" he asked the woman. She blinked again, looking around nervously.

"H-Hinata," she replied faintly. Naruto blinked.

"Well then, Hinata, do you know where we are?" he asked again. Hinata shook her head, still looking around. Naruto hummed, walking down a random corridor, jumping when an alarm sounded.

"HOYL SHIT!" Naruto squeaked, backtracking in his steps. Hinata winced at the loud noise and tried to blend into the wall.

"P-please be quiet Naruto-kun, I need to think," she told the blond, who nodded and returned to where he was before. The corridors were thin and pitch black, but their sights had adjusted somewhat, giving them a small sight on one another. A small shuffle caught their attention, and both people stiffened when the shuffling drew closer, a heavy breathing accompanying it. Naruto felt his skin break out into a cold sweat, and he backed himself against the wall, grabbing Hinata's wrist at the same time. They both sucked in their breath as the figure shuffled past them. From the way it shifted its mass, Naruto could deduce that it was short and hunched over, but the smell of rotting flesh collaborated with it, making both teens cringe. It turned right further down the corridor and the two let out a breath of relief.

"W-what's going on?" Naruto asked shakily. Hinata swallowed and turned to where she could faintly make out the other's face.

"Orochimaru's playing a game," she whispered. Naruto felt his throat close up at the information.

"T-that w-was the c-clown, wasn't it?" he whispered. He felt the nod in reply and he wanted to throw up. Tremors wracked through his body as he broke out into shivering.

"Every year, my partner and I come to play. It's sort of an anniversary thing we have- but this is the first time in ten years Orochimaru's put us with another person- there must've been too many participants this year," she muttered. Naruto blinked, unknowing why the couple he had been sat next to would willingly play this game every year.

"S-so what happens?" he asked shakily, his voice barely a whisper. Hinata sighed.

"Each group has a person taken away from them, and the rest of the group are given a clue as to where to find the missing person. If they don't make it by sunrise, the rest of the group are killed and the missing person is left to find their own way out," she explained. Naruto felt himself break out into a cold sweat.

"However, I've never been in this position before. Usually Kiba's the one who's taken, and I find him. I have faith in him however. I'm sure that the boy you were with is pretty smart, and seeing as we're in the same place, they've probably got the same clue," she theorised. Naruto- despite his situation- felt a little calmer at that. Sasuke would come for him, and they'd both be fine. It was about six hours before sunrise anyway, he noted, checking his watch where the hands glowed in the dark.

"Then we'll be fine. Sasuke and Kiba will get us out," he reassured the woman. Hinata sighed.

"It's not as simple as working the clue. They'll be interrupted on their journey by the other members- ruthless members- they'll have to fight to get to us. And the guy who walked past, I'm pretty sure that they'll have to fight him," she muttered. Naruto swallowed, his faith still strong, however.

"Sasuke'll come. I know he will," he muttered. Hinata tilted her head to the side.

"You really have high hopes for him, don't you?" she asked. Naruto nodded.

"He's been there for me through everything. He's my best friend," he muttered.

"Hm, I thought you were a couple, the way you were acting earlier," she noted. For some unknown reason, the idea didn't repulse the blond, but he flushed a deep red. A bang sounded, and the two jumped as the lights were thrown on, making them wince and cover their eyes. They looked around at their surroundings, taking in note the various corridors and mirrors. Hinata's eyes widened and Naruto's pupils dilated in fear.

"Oh no," he whimpered. Hinata swallowed slightly, looking around.

"Mirror maze, huh? Well then, if we get to the entrance, we're allowed to wait there for our partners," she stated grabbing the blond by his arm and dragging him away. Naruto followed, unwillingly, but the anticipation of seeing Sasuke stunted all fear. He had to get out of there no matter what, and find Sasuke. He was pulled down various corridors, taking note of the way the woman seemed to be an expert on the mirror maze.

"Hinata, how long have you and Kiba been doing this for?" he asked, and looked around as the slowed to a stop. They were obviously in the centre, as the mirrors were arranged in a type of circle, many corridors branching off.

"About ten years now," she replied, looking around. Naruto blinked.

"T-ten years? H-how?" he whispered, deducing the woman to be no older than twenty. She turned to him, a gentle smile on her face.

"The first time we came, we were both with our parents. That was the time when we were put with other people. I was put with Kiba- in the corn maze- but our parents never showed up at sunrise, leaving us to find our own way out. Ever since then we've come back, intent on winning! The prize- as well as the freedom- is the chance to take on Orochimaru himself and kill him. Nobody does that though. But, we've trained for a long time- so hopefully this year will be different. If you kill Orochimaru, the game stops permanently," he explained. Naruto nodded slightly.

"I'm just hoping that this Sasuke's good with mirror mazes," she grinned to the blond, who looked to her with a smile.

"He's absolutely terrible with mirrors- he'd be distracted by his reflection," he joked. Hinata giggled slightly, but Naruto stopped laughing when he thought about the raven. He had absolute faith that they'd be found, but he'd be damned if he was just going to sit on his arse and do nothing! He shoved his hands in his jacket pocket, feeling the campervan keys. He then looked up, spotting the mirrors that encased the ceiling, showing him looking at himself. Pulling his keys out, he looked to the laser pointer that was attached to his keys, then back to the ceiling. A smirk overtook his facial features.

"Hinata, I think I just found our way out," he told the woman, who looked at the blond, who pointed the red light down a corridor, looking up to see it reflecting off many more mirrors, illuminating a path, but stopping when it reached a dead end. She smiled at him.

"Naruto-kun, you're a genius!" she yelled happily, following the blond down a corridor, which was sure to lead them to freedom. Naruto blushed slightly at the praise and shrugged.

"It's only a theory," he grinned, but still pleased nonetheless.

The two started to walk along the route and didn't come across any dead ends for at least ten minutes. But just as they came to a crossroad in the maze, the battery died.

"Oh crap," Naruto whimpered, forgetting the fact that the small device didn't have unlimited power. Hinata stiffened beside him.

"What are we going to do?" she asked. Naruto was shaking, especially when the lights cut out, leaving them in darkness.

"Sh-shit!" he whimpered. He took another step forward, into the centre of the crossroads. There was a warm wind coming from the right hand corridor, a cold air assaulting him from straight ahead. He frowned.

"Hinata, the wind was cold this evening, wasn't it?" he asked, earning a hum in reply. He reached behind himself, grabbing the woman's wrist once more and pulling her in the direction of the cool breeze.

'_Don't worry, Sasuke, we're coming!'_

* * *

><p>Sasuke frowned, looking at the clue. He felt Kiba next to him, trying to restrain his panic.<p>

"Dammit, I can't believe this!" the brunet muttered, clutching at his brown strands of hair. Sasuke eyes the man with interest.

"I think I have it figured out," he muttered, looking to the clue once more. Kiba looked up, hope in his eyes.

"R-really?" he asked, rushing to look over the Uchiha's shoulders where the raven had been writing on his own clue.

"The reflection, refraction and critical angles are all talking about one thing- glass- or more specifically, the reflection of a mirror," Sasuke relayed. Kiba nodded, understanding dawning on his features.

"And the fact that there'll be traps and corridors implies many passages- a maze," Kiba added whilst Sasuke nodded.

"It's the mirror maze," he muttered, earning a relived sigh.

"Brilliant! I know the route in there like the back of my hand!" he exclaimed. Sasuke blinked in reply, not caring how the brunet knew, just that he knew. A small confident smirk overtook his face and the two went to walk in the direction of the mirror maze. Their plan, however, was cut-off, when the sword-eating boy stood in front of them, a large katana in his grip.

"Good evening boys," he greeted, a large shark-smile on his face. Sasuke froze, instantly taking in the dangers- the obvious one being the huge sword he had slung over his shoulders. Kiba growled lowly, and the boy looked to him, recognition sparking in his eyes.

"Ah, I see Orochimaru took Miss Hinata this time and left you to find her," he told the brunet, who growled a little louder, eyes narrowing.

"Shove it Suigetsu. We need to get to the mirror maze!" Kiba snapped. Sasuke's eyes widened, confused at how Kiba knew the boy. Suigetsu smirked and lowered his sword.

"Hey, you two are pretty good! I wouldn't doubt it if you were the quickest to find your partners!" he congratulated them. He sighed and eyed the two.

"I'll let you pass- if you give me the slushy from the stand over there!" Suigetsu told them, pointing to a stand in the near distance with his blade. Shrugging dismissively, Sasuke made his way to the stall. He approached it, but covered his nose at the stench of rotting flesh coming from the floor.

"Jeez," Sasuke groaned, covering his nose with the sleeve of his jacket. He leant over the counter, intent on getting the boy a slushy, before a damp, cold hand grabbed his wrist, making him yell out in surprise. In the background, he could hear Kiba also yell out in shock as he was dragged over the counter and into the mushy, damp, stinking heap at the bottom. Before Sasuke could do as much as let out a scream, a squishy hand slapped over his mouth, the taste making him gag. Desperately, Sasuke clawed the hand down, internally wincing at the feeling.

"KIBA! GET THE DAMN SLUSHY!" Sasuke yelled, struggling against the beast that had now wrapped a sort of tail-like appendage around his middle, constricting around his ribcage. It was only when he felt blood blossom his chest that he realised it had broken his skin. Kiba appeared above him, face pale.

"Holy shit, Sasuke! Hold on!" he yelled, grabbing a pole from nearby. Sasuke's pupils dilated as he saw Kiba raise it above his face. He flinched to the side as Kiba struck down and felt the monster still beneath him. When Sasuke opened his eyes, he looked to see the monster with the metal pole through its head, and he let out a breath of relief and collapsed slightly.

"You okay?" Kiba asked, extending a hand down, helping the Uchiha up. Sasuke nodded, grabbing the accursed slushy that Suigetsu had requested. He walked towards the boy, scowl in place, but it was ignored as the boy grinned and grabbed the slushy.

"Cheers! Here, I'll accompany you to the mirror maze!" he told the others cheerfully. Sasuke's jaw just dropped- this night was turning out to be crazy! Nevertheless, he accompanied the others with their trip to the mirror maze, only stopping once when the man from the hook-a-duck stand tried to slice them with a huge sword as well. Sasuke had fought him off using a hook from the hook-a-duck stand, the result being that the man would now be blind in one eye. They trooped on until eventually they were stood outside the large entrance to the mirror maze. Sasuke and Kiba turned to Suigetsu- Sasuke sticking his hand out for the other boy to shake.

"Thanks Suigetsu- you really helped out," Sasuke told the boy sincerely. Suigetsu's eyes welled up and he launched himself forward, crushing the raven into his chest.

"You brave little soldier," he sniffed, letting go with a watery smile.

"Go in there and save your damsels!" he told the two, shoving them forward. Sasuke blinked, still shocked at the action, before Kiba dragged him with him to enter the maze. The last Sasuke saw of the silver-haired boy was a huge grin on his face, before Kiba pulled him around a corner, making the boy vanish from sight. Sasuke then faced forward, feeling a grip on his wrist.

"Kiba, slow the hell down!" Sasuke told him through gritted teeth. A brown-eyed glare was thrown his way, and Sasuke fell silent at the look.

"I know what types of monsters are in here- I'm not letting Hina fall prey to them," he snarled, still tugging on the raven's wrist, making Sasuke nervous. He just hoped that his blond dobe would've had the common sense to stay with this Hinata girl and not get lost on his own. The darkness was little comfort to Sasuke at that moment- it made him even more nervous as they couldn't see where they were going.

'_If only I had the key to the campervan- they have a small torch on them,_' Sasuke thought, a little depression setting in his features at the notion.

"Kiba- you said you know the way around this maze- do you know when we'll run into Naruto and Hinata?" Sasuke asked, wanting to break the tense silence that was threatening to eat him alive. Kiba hummed from in front of him and tugged him harshly to the right.

"Well, I'm sure Hinata will be able to guide her way through some of it, so I'd say about five more minutes," Kiba analysed, making a harsh tugging motion to the left before he collided harshly with an unknown mass. Sasuke recognised the shout of pain, however, as something heavy hit the floor.

"Naruto!" he yelled out in a happy shock. There was a resounding gasp, and in the dim light, he could briefly make out the blond's eyes that seemed trained on his own, before he felt a pair of arms around his middle, pulling him in for a crushing hug.

"Teme! I told you we shouldn't have stopped!" he screeched into the raven's jacket, and Sasuke was shocked that the blond was in such a state. He hugged back nervously, feeling that the blond's head was in the crook of his neck that was gently becoming damper.

"I'm sorry, dobe. But in all fairness, I didn't know this was going to happen," he tried to lighten the mood with a joke, which just earned him a small shove.

"Teme, " he whispered, almost affectionately, hugging him so hard that Sasuke was beginning to wonder if his ribs would be bruised come tomorrow. Naruto pulled back and grabbed the raven's wrist, desperate not to be separated again.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm here Naruto. C'mon, let's get going," she mumbled, feeling Kiba grab her hand. Naruto nodded, then realising that nobody could really see him in the darkness.

"We just gotta come back the way you came," Naruto stated to Sasuke, who hummed in return. The four of them turned to go where Sasuke and Kiba had just come from, but were stopped when they hit a wall. Panicked, Naruto felt all around himself- letting go of Sasuke to do so- to realise that there were walls on all four sides. Somebody had trapped them. It was then that Naruto started to hyperventilate, and reached around to grab Sasuke's hand, only to feel nothing there.

"Teme! Sasuke!" Naruto yelled out, receiving no answer from the dark apart from a chilling, cruel laugh.

"Good evening, Naruto-kun,"

Naruto froze at the voice, recognising it as that of the clown. His hands balled into fists, nails cutting into the palms of his hands.

"What have you done with them, you sick bastard!" he yelled into the darkness, heartbeat like that of a butterfly's wings. A dark chuckle sounded throughout the darkness and Naruto felt himself start to panic. He felt disorientated and lost, with no way out.

"Let me go you sick fuck!" he yelled, nearing the end of his tether. The chuckle that sounded made him want punch something- preferably the man it was coming from.

"Show yourself, you coward!" he roared, now feeling the rage emit from him in waves, rolling and crashing like wave on the rocks of an ocean shore. A sudden light blinded him, and the blond winced, hand coming up to shield his eyes. He jumped back, however, when in front of him was the man in a clown costume. A small wave of shivers coursed throughout his body as he saw the man before him, but he clenched his fists harder, drawing blood from his palms. Orochimaru smirked, and stepped closer, earning growl from the blond in front of him.

"What have you done to my friends?" he asked once more, a dangerous edge to his voice. The black-haired man just smirked, and waved a hand towards the three people that were tied together, unconscious. But they were still breathing, Naruto happily noted.

"Let them go," he demanded in a more calm voice than what he actually felt.

"We won your stupid game- now let us go!" he yelled, noticing that the others were starting to stir. Before he could yell at the man any more, Orochimaru let out a chilling laugh.

"Why would I do that?" he hissed. Naruto felt his own eyes widen in shock.

"W-why? Because we beat your game you sick asshole!" he yelled, stepping closer despite his fear. Orochimaru hummed and stepped closer also, relishing in the small wince it brought to the blond's body.

"You don't like clowns; do you, Naruto-kun?" Orochimaru asked, a little glint of amusement visible in his yellow eyes. Naruto swallowed, not wanting the man to find out his fears.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he told the man, who was now two steps away from him with a grin on his face that made Naruto feel sick to the core.

"Hmm, of course you don't," he whispered, leaning forward.

"All you have to do to free your friends is defeat one little clown," he muttered, eyes glancing to the side, indicating a door. Naruto swallowed, also eyeing the door.

"Fine, whatever," he mumbled, tensing a bit when a hand clasped on his shoulder.

"You'll do well, Naruto-kun," Orochimaru muttered before disappearing- leaving Naruto alone with his tied up friends, and a clown that was most probably going to try and kill him.

And he had no weapons.

"Shit!" Naruto cursed as he ran to his friends, trying to untie the rope that bound them. Only when there were a set of heavy footsteps behind him, did Naruto turn around. His breath caught in his throat. Orochimaru definitely needed his eyes testing because this clown was not little. Not at all. He stood, towering, at seven foot; bloody face, bloody hands and- something that made Naruto want to faint and never regain consciousness- a large butchers knife- also bloody. He stepped to the right of where he'd just been, circling around to make sure that the clown didn't catch sight of his friends. There were a tense few seconds where neither of them moved- until the large beast launched itself forward, causing Naruto to roll out of the way and smack his nose on the floor. Blood spurted from the injured appendage, soaking the floor. Naruto cursed, his eyes watering, as he flung his hand to his nose, trying to stem the blood flow. Pain pulsed throughout his body, and when he felt a shadow looming over him, he blindly rolled to the right, avoiding the massive meat cleaver. Fear etched into the usually cheerful blues as he noticed the horror still looming, the knife about to be brought down once more. He was so busy being terrified at the prospect of dying, he didn't register the shouting or the shove to his side or even the fact that he was being slapped around the face, being told to snap out of it. Naruto couldn't help it- it had brought back the memory of many years before when he was trick-or-treating. The clown in that horrible mask- the costume. Everything seemed so familiar, and it was freaking him out to no end. Every limb was shaking, petrified as his mind began to re-live the moment. He wasn't aware that he was then being lifted up and carried out of a door until the cool night air hit his face full on.

"No, no, no no no!" he mumbled, tossing and turning in the arms of his captor.

"Get off!" he yelled, still squirming and throwing his fists around, catching something. He was quickly dropped to the floor and he took the opportunity to scramble up and look at his captor. He didn't even realise that he had been crying at some point.

"S-sas-Sasuke!" he yelled out, once more restricting the raven's lung capacity with his bone-crushing hug. It didn't even register in his mind that his friend was covered in blood as he just tried to bury himself into the dark blue jacket, repeating his friend's name over and over again like a mantra he couldn't forget. A pale hand found its way to his friend's hair and started to automatically stroke it as he guided them towards the carnival entrance. Naruto continued to whisper Sasuke's name, even as they passed by Tobi, who was eating an ice-cream and watching a small portable television- a programme called 'Extr '- on its late-night viewing. The boy just raised his hand and mumbled a small 'wunderschön Darbietung' as they left to go to the campervan. As they arrived at the familiar place, Naruto let out a sigh of relief into the older boy's shoulder.

"Naruto, I need the keys," Sasuke mumbled, earning a small nod from the blond attached to him. A shaky tan hand delved into his left jacket pocket and fumbled around, panic flaring in his chest when he couldn't find them.

"S-Sasuke! They're not in my pocket!" he choked out, feeling sick at the prospect of having to go back in the carnival and search for them. Sasuke shook his head.

"Try your other pocket, dobe," he mumbled into the blond's hair, pressing a gentle to it at the same time. Naruto blinked as when he put his hand into his right pocket, the keys were there.

"Teme- how did you-"

"Dobe, you always put the keys in your right pocket," he mumbled with a small smile. Naruto sighed, pressing the keys into Sasuke's left hand. The raven stepped away, and Naruto almost winced when the cold air affected his body.

"Sasuke," he moaned, wanting to feel warm again. Sasuke just made a shushing noise before he drew the campervan side door open and switched on the small lights that were around the place. Naruto still stood outside though, eyes closed, until a hand gently took his own, leading him into the vehicle. Sasuke closed the door behind the blond and led him to sit on the bed/backseat. Instantly, Naruto sought out the comfort that was Sasuke and inhaled. It was then that Naruto realised that his friend was covered in blood, and went into shock.

"S-Sasuke! What happened to you? Are you okay? Where are Kiba and Hinata? What happened?" he screeched all in one breath. It was only when Sasuke's hand was placed over his mouth in mild irritation that he shut up.

"Dobe, it's okay. Kiba and Hinata went on to pursue their goal of defeating Orochimaru- I'm covered in blood because I killed the fucker that tried to get you. I'm fine; Kiba and Hinata are fine. But most importantly, you're okay. God I don't know what I'd do without you, Naru," Sasuke ended up whispering, pulling the blond in for another hug. Naruto's eyes glazed over in total adoration with the last comment. He breathed shakily into the fabric that was drenched in blood and squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to feel as the tears fell. He was so weak, Sasuke had had to save him. He felt useless compared to the raven, and felt his shoulders shake from shame. There he was, crying into his best friend's shirt, being useless as usual.

"I- I'm so sorry Sasuke! I'm so useless!" he choked out, not wanting his friend to see him in the sorry state he was in. Sasuke shushed him once more, pulling him closer and rocking him slowly.

"Don't worry about it, dobe. You're safe and that's all that matters," he whispered, placing a soft kiss to the blond's temple. The action just caused more sobs from the blond, so in return, the raven gently laid him down on the bed, lying beside him.

"Naruto, go to sleep," he whispered gently, making the blond want to do nothing but that. Silently, the blond nodded, still staring into the shirt that belonged to his best friend. He felt Sasuke sit up and whimpered slightly at the cold feeling. After the raven had sat up, he felt his shoes being mud-sodden trainers being removed, his jacket slid off his body and his jeans pulled off. Next, he was being tucked under the quilt that smelt solely of Sasuke. The blond nuzzled into the raven's pillow, feeling content with the world and drowsy. After that, he was handed a cup of cool water, which he gently chugged down, feeling much more hydrated and calm. The drowsiness then increased tenfold, making his vision blur. He could briefly make Sasuke out with his tired eyes and smiled slightly.

"Love you, S'ske," he slurred, head burying into the pillow below him. A gentle hand rushed once more through his hair, calming him to the brink of unconsciousness. But not before he heard a faint

"Love you too, dobe," emit from his friend. A small smiled overtook his face as he fell asleep, wrapped in Sasuke's scent. Said raven just gazed on with affection at his best friend before he turned around and climbed into the driver's seat, shoving the keys into the ignition. Just as he was about to drive off, a yell caught his attention. Sasuke checked the wing-mirrors to see that it was Hinata and Kiba, with huge grins on their faces.

"We got him!" Kiba yelled excitedly, making Sasuke stare wide-eyed.

"No way!" he asked, aghast. Hinata nodded beside her boyfriend, sporting a black eye and a few scratches. Sasuke smiled gently at them.

"Congratulations," he mumbled to them, eyes darting briefly to the rear-view mirror and checking on his sleeping companion. Kiba noticed this and stared too.

"Is he alright?" Kiba asked, worry etched into his features. A small smile overtook Sasuke's lips as he turned to Kiba.

"He's fine- just exhausted. Kiba hummed slightly, before handing Sasuke a slip of paper.

"It's my number and address. Drop by some time," he told the raven with a smile. Sasuke looked to the piece of paper, eyes widening when he saw the address- it was just an hour's drive away from his house.

"Small world," he mumbled, earning a laugh form the brunet.

"Drive safe, okay?" he told the raven, turning away, hand in hand with Hinata as they approached their own car. Sasuke wound up his window, once more checking on his passenger, before he put the Campervan into gear and drove up the winding road, thankful to be free of the nightmare he'd put them into.

* * *

><p><strong>Isn't it sad that it's been little over twelve hours since I got my ass outta bed? Ah, well- at least you guys (finally!) got 'Carnival' XD The next one should more than likely be 'Mischief Managed'. Also, a small note: The show Tobi is watching at the end (Extr ) is an actual German show- like 'Friends', so I have to say that I don't own that show- but it's a pretty funny show :3 Anywhores! I hope you enjoyed this! It's the longest one so far- but I felt it wasn't scary enough. Ah well. I hope you enjoyed enough to leave a review! <strong>

**Until next time~**

***Brofist***


	7. Mischief Managed

**Author's Note:** Heh. So after a Harry Potter Marathon, and drawing out 'Mischief Managed' from my hat of 100 (now less) words/phrases, I'm REALLY psyched to be doing this X3 I wouldn't be surprised if after 'Fighting Darkness' and 'Possessed' that I do a fully-fledged Naruto Potter-verse FanFic. Then again, I HAVE been playing a lot of Resident Evil lately (on PS1) and now I want to write some zombies! KYA! So PSYCHED! UNF! ENJOY BITCHES!

**Warnings:** Swearing, light violence, magic and- I can't believe I'm putting this still, but I've learned to be accurate with my warnings otherwise I'm flamed- SASUNARU GUYS! Yaoi, boy's love, Shounen-ai, boy-on-boy action getting it O-ON! And Potter-verse. Therefore, I will be using some Harry Potter terminology AKA: Quidditch, Muggle, mudblood, OWLs, NEWTs etc. If anybody needs any clarification because you don't follow Harry Potter, just PM me and I'll explain :3

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto owns all 'Naruto' characters; JK Rowling owns the whole Potter ideology. I am making no profit from this story.

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><p><strong>Some of JK Rowling's Original ideas have been edited to suit the Naruto Universe<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><span>Mischief Managed<span>**

The snow fell heavily over the grounds of Konoha's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, making the whole castle seem to be in a fairy tale snow globe. Most of the students were in their dorm, classes being cancelled due to the heinous amount of snow, thus causing distractions- especially since some of the jokers thought they'd bewitch the snow to periodically slam into the windows as charmed snowballs. In the common room of the Leaf House, a blond seventeen-year-old sat in front of the fireplace, occasionally throwing crumpled up pieces of parchment into it and watching with an amused satisfaction when he waved his wand, causing the fire to change different colours. Next to him, in one of the other armchairs, sat his best friend, a pinkette. She was studying as usual, making sure that she'd know everything for when her N.E. came around. She looked up to see her friend still tossing parchment onto the fire and sighed.

"Naruto, I need that parchment for notes," she scolded the blond- Naruto- as she reached to save what little was left. Naruto sighed and turned a forlorn expression to his friend.

"But Sakura-chaaan, I'm _bored_!" Naruto whined, earning a small twitch of his best friend's lips. She would never admit it, but Naruto was entertaining when he whined like that. The girl- Sakura- looked up from her notes and replaced the lip twitch with a frown.

"Where's Kiba?" she asked, looking around for the third member of their party. She scanned the common room every inch with her sea foam green eyes, not finding him anywhere. Naruto huffed and leant on his arms, pouting.

"He's gone to see Hinata-chan and go for a walk with her," he pouted, puffing out his cheeks. Sakura hummed in a contemplative way.

"Why don't you go down to the library?" she offered, earning a gasp of shock horror in reply.

"SAKURA! How _dare_ you suggest such a thing!" he gasped, pretending to faint. Sakura giggled at the act before going back to her notes. Naruto sighed forlornly and turned back to throw some more parchment into the fire, making more flames that were coloured appear.

"I'm going to go explore," he decided, getting up from his stuffed armchair by the fire, sticking his wand in his back pocket and heading upstairs to grab what he needed. Sakura looked up as he walked past and frowned.

"Oh no, you're not going to use that map again, are you?" she asked in a disapproving way. Naruto just shrugged.

"I've got nothing better to do," he told her, walking up the stairs to his dormitory that he shared with Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino and Chouji, his classmates. He went to his trunk and grabbed the seemingly harmless-looking piece of parchment before heading back downstairs and out of the common room. The portrait swung closed behind him and he yawned, stretching out as he wandered the corridors. As he walked down a few corridors, he glanced around, checking to see if anybody was within eye or earshot, before pulling out his wand from his back pocket and tapping the parchment.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he muttered, a small smile overtaking his features as he watched the ink web across the parchment, turning into what he knew and loved as the Hokage's Map. A small smile of happiness overtook his features and he continued down the hall, glancing to see who would be coming his way. He frowned as, coming right towards him, was his rival from Sound House, Uchiha Sasuke. Panicking, he stuffed the map into his robe pockets. Just as he did, the raven haired 'Uchiha Sasuke' rounded the corner, crashing into Naruto, knocking him to the floor. Sasuke's onyx eyes widened as he tripped over the blond afterwards, and glared at the blond who was beneath him.

"Dobe, watch where you're going!" he snapped, pushing himself up off the ground and going to storm away. Naruto lay bemused on the floor for a while before standing up, wincing when his wrist painfully stuck a sharp jolt up his nerves.

"Teme! You're the one who should watch where he's going!" he yelled after the raven, who just flipped the other off before walking away. Naruto fumed, not going to take Sasuke's attitude. He was bored, so he might as well pick this fight. It was all Sasuke's fault, and it would be fun.

"Bastard! Get back here!" Naruto yelled, giving chase. He'd rounded the corner the raven had just turned and snarled when he came face to face with the stuck-up jerk.

"Dobe, you have five seconds to get out of my face," Sasuke snarled, stepping back, raising his own wand. Naruto smirked, finally getting something he craved. A fight.

"Teme, get your face out of my view!" he smirked back, confusing the raven, before said raven struck, knocking the blond off his feet, making him land on his already sprained wrist, a huge 'crack' resounding in the corridors. It was then that Sasuke turned around, seemingly concerned. Naruto didn't care though. He wanted this fight.

"_Levicorpus_!" he grinned, despite the blood running down his wrist. Sasuke's eyes widened as an invisible force tugged on his ankle, forcing him into the air.

"Dobe! You need to go to Hospital Wing," he told the blond, still hanging upside-down in the air, robes falling around him. Naruto shrugged, wiping his finger under his nose.

"Nah, this is much more fun!" he exclaimed. Sasuke huffed before pointing to himself and flicking his own wrist and landing gracefully on the floor.

"I will knock you out, Dobe! Your wrist is broken," he mumbled, stepping closer. Naruto took a step back, a strange vulnerability shining in his blue eyes.

"I'm fine," he stated, pointing to his wrist, muttering a small '_episkey_' as he did so. Sasuke winced at the sound of bone snapping back into place and he was surprised the small blond could take so much pain. He sighed heavily, turning on the spot.

"Dobe, we have class in five minutes. Better get your stuff ready," he replied, heading towards his own common room. Naruto frowned.

"All classes are cancelled," he told the raven, who shook his head.

"Orochimaru-sensei is still running potions," he told the blond, who visibly deflated. Sasuke knew that look and body language. He smirked.

"You didn't do the essay, did you?" he asked the blond, who chuckled nervously.

"Maybe I should go to Hospital Wing, just to make sure I didn't do anything bad," Naruto chuckled, dashing down towards the Hospital Wing, as Sasuke chuckled and made his way to class. He frowned though, noticing the piece of parchment on the floor. He opened it, eyes widening as he realised what it was. He smirked, eyeing how most of his House and Leaf House were moving to go to Potions in the dungeon, the exception being Naruto as he made his way to Hospital Wing. Sasuke just shrugged, shoving the parchment into his bag and making his way to Potions.

When he arrived, he took his usual seat at the back of the room. His Potions teacher was bit of a creep with a snake fetish and an eye for Sasuke, so he didn't like being at the front. That didn't stop him, however, from trying to persuade Sasuke to go to his office, after dark, for 'extra credit'. Sasuke wasn't Naruto though, so he declined and stayed with his own, hard-working grades. Orochimaru was about fifteen minutes late to the lesson, to which Sasuke found incredibly odd. Usually Orochimaru would be there on the dot. As the lesson wore on, Sasuke found himself getting increasingly bored, and wondered whether it would've been a good idea to skip class with Naruto. Though it may have seemed on the surface that the two hated each other, there was an actual sort of friendship beneath the quarrelling. The two respected one another for their skills. Where Sasuke excelled in Potions, Naruto aspired high in Defence Against the Dark Arts. The two were both skilled Quidditch players. When Sound and Leaf were facing each other in a Quidditch match, the game would more than often end in a tie. They balanced each other out, and at one point, they had been best friends, maybe a little more- until one day where Naruto had been being bullied by some other members of Sound. Not one to be shot down by his peers, Sasuke had joined in, ultimately causing the final blow, calling him a 'Mudblood'. Naruto had never really spoken to Sasuke as a friend or comrade again. He sighed, looking down to his bag where the map resided. Sighing once more, he pulled it out, deciding to see if Naruto was still in Hospital Wing. He smirked when he saw the boy in the Boy's Toilet and decided that, with his scores, he could afford to take the lesson off- it was a double after all. He raised his hand up high, making sure it quivered a bit. Orochimaru paused in what he was saying to frown at Sasuke, who had a pained expression on his face.

"P-Professor, I really don't feel well- can I go to Hospital Wing?" he asked in an almost pathetic voice. Orochimaru's eyes widened at the boy before him, who did indeed look extremely pale. He nodded slightly, pulling a piece of parchment towards him.

"I'll write you a note excusing you from the rest of the lesson," Orochimaru told the boy. Seeing as it was Sasuke's first sick-lesson, Orochimaru didn't think anything of it, expecting it to be the flu that was going around amongst the students. Sasuke nodded and shakily made his way up to the front to grab the letter. He nodded weakly to his professor before grabbing his things walking out of the dungeon door. A few corridors later, he was walking perfectly fine, pulling out the piece of parchment and spotting that Naruto was still in the Boys' Toilets. He smirked and continued to walk down them until eventually, he found where he was looking for and entered. The gentle tapping of his shoes on the tiles reverberated around the room, but were deaf to the ears of the blond, who sat, leaning against a toilet stall door with headphones in, eyes closed. Sasuke rolled his eyes and knelt down in front of him. He leant in so closely that he could smell the toothpaste from that morning and hear the beats coming from the headphones. Onyx eyes then darted down to the soft lips, and he swallowed. Something white standing out against the tan skin then caught his eye. His eyes travelled down to the blond's wrist, to see that it was a cast, and Sasuke frowned, knowing that he was technically the one who had caused the injury. Gently, he took the wrist in his hand, forgetting that the blond hadn't noticed him. Such an action had him sprawled on the floor, a blond straddling his hips, wand pointed at his throat. Dark blue eyes then lightened when he recognised who it was, and a small grin broke out onto his features.

"Teme, don't startle me like that!" he chided, earning a small glance to the wand that was still at the raven's throat.

"Dobe, do you mind taking your wand away from my neck before I become like Nearly-Headless Nick?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow at the blond, who frowned, pulling off his headphones and hung them around his neck.

"Sorry, what was that?" he asked again. Sasuke sighed aggravatedly.

"Stupid muggle-born," he muttered, earning a frown from the blond above him.

"What happened to 'mudblood'?" he asked sceptically, making the raven swallow and dart his eyes down in shame. Naruto frowned at the raven, eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to make sense of the other boy's actions. Sasuke's eyes were now roaming around the room as he searched for a distraction.

"Dobe, get off me!" he told the blond again, who complied, sitting back on his heels in front of the raven. Naruto felt awkward, and so he decided to try to break the ice.

"What are you doing here teme? Skipping class?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. Sasuke snorted.

"I know everything anyway- what's the point in going?" Sasuke asked, shrugging at the same time. Naruto's mouth dropped open.

"Can you teach me? Please? I'm not ready for the exam!" he begged, clasping his hands together and making his innocent blue eyes widen. Sasuke swallowed at the sight, breath catching in his throat as he drank the image of the boy in front of him, wanting nothing more than to claim those lips.

"I'll do anything, Sasuke-sensei! Please!" Naruto whined. Now Sasuke was thrown in for a loop- keep Naruto begging and listen to the noises he was dragging from the boy's throat; or teach the other, having a few 'intimate study sessions' in which he could hear more of those noises. He was taking so long in answering, that Naruto decided to answer for him.

"Pretty please, Sasuke-sensei?" Naruto moaned, crawling forward onto the other boy's lap. Sasuke then blushed slightly as the blond kept on advancing further, straddling his lap once more and sliding a hand under his shirt. It was then that Sasuke's mind malfunctioned and went into overdrive, being overpowered by the feeling, smell and sight of the blond. He drank it all in, not wanting it to end at all. It was only when Naruto's hand travelled further up, going to push his shirt off his shoulders that the blond stopped, wincing. Concerned, Sasuke eyed him.

"You okay, Naruto?" the blond looked away, a blush grazing his features.

"Y-yeah. My wrist just hurts," he mumbled, still sitting on the raven's lap. Sasuke frowned and leant forward, gently grasping the cast that was around the blond's wrist, noticing the wince.

"Dobe- what did Matron say?" he asked gently, examining the cast with careful eyes.

"She said I shouldn't have tried to use that spell- that 'episkey' was for small injuries only. Now I have to heal like a freakin' muggle," he muttered darkly. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock at the tone of Naruto's voice, but shrugged it off. Carefully, he pushed Naruto off his lap and stood up, offering a hand down to the blond. Blue eyes surveyed the onyx above him with curiosity.

"What are you doing, teme?" Naruto asked cautiously, cradling his injured wrist close to his chest. Sasuke rolled his eyes, hand still outstretched.

"Dobe, do you want extra tutoring or not?" he smirked, stomach fluttering when Naruto's eyes lit up in pure joy.

"Y-you mean you'll help?" he asked, grabbing Sasuke's hand, cheeks dusting at the contact. Sasuke nodded slightly before he was brought in for a crushing hug. The raven was left slightly winded, but felt arms constrict around his body. Gently, he hugged back. He'd missed this close contact with Naruto from the earlier days, when he hadn't been a complete asshole, bastard jerk-face, just an asshole. Naruto pulled back, a beaming smile on his face. Sasuke felt his stomach perform back flips with that smile, and he couldn't help but let a small smile onto his face as well. Unbeknownst to either of them, Sasuke had begun to lean forward, leaning down slightly whilst Naruto leant forward. It was only when they felt each other's breath on their lips did they notice how close together they were. Just as Sasuke was about to pull back, Naruto leant forward, closing the gap between them and flinging his arms- no matter how much it hurt his wrist- around Sasuke's neck, pulling him closer. The raven felt his eyes widen in shock and he was frozen to the spot, until he felt the blond's tongue on his lower lip. Not one to be dominated, Sasuke allowed the blond entrance, only to defeat him in the battle of the tongues. They pulled away a minute later for oxygen, and Naruto was flushed and panting, staring into Sasuke's eyes. The onyx stared back into slightly worried blue before a small smile overtook his lips and he went to capture Naruto's in a kiss once more.

"Don't worry about it, dobe."

* * *

><p>Naruto's face was contorted into that of an uncomfortable position- if someone asked what it looked like, the same answer would've come from everyone else with "he's constipated". That was not true, however.<p>

No.

Naruto was currently sitting his N.E.W.T theory in Potions. His tongue was sticking out between his pink lips, earning him the attention of a certain individual who was to the right of his desk.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke had finished his theory test about half an hour to go and the test was going to last for ten more minutes- yet Sasuke could see Naruto still trying to cram in as much detail as possible. A small burst of pride erupted in the Uchiha's chest as he witnessed the blond try so hard to still put in information, even though the raven could clearly see that he'd gotten full marks already. His eyes then slid to the blond's right wrist, where there was a tiny amount of bruising and a faint white blemish against the tan skin. His eyes then moved to the blond's neck, noticing with another burst of pride that the bruise was still there, visible to the entire world. Reluctantly, Sasuke faced his front, not wanting to be accused of cheating and kicked out of the exam. He tapped his fingers on the desk, impatient to get out and ravish his blond. He wanted to ask the dobe how he'd done- they were planning to go out after the Potion's exam, Kiba, Hinata, Sakura and her boyfriend Sai accompanying them also. The village of Hogsmead was beautiful in the summer, and they had planned for a small picnic up the hill in view of the Shrieking Shack, which was said to be the most haunted building in all of Japan.

Sasuke was snapped out of his thoughts when a loud chiming sound reverberated around the hall, indicating the end of the exam. Sasuke sighed in relief, glancing to where his boyfriend was trying to hurriedly finish his conclusion. A smirk was poised on his lips as he saw Naruto sigh in relief and sag in his chair. The blond then felt a pair of eyes on his person and turned to grin at his boyfriend who was smiling gently- almost smirking- in return. Once they had been given the all-clear to go, the students left the hall, all complaining about the exam, discussing what each person had wrote. Naruto and Sasuke, however, just leant against the door, waiting for their peers. Casually, their hands joined together, and Naruto smiled gently at them as Sasuke gently stroked his thumb across Naruto's slightly bruised wrist.

"Does it still hurt?" Sasuke asked gently, eyeing the dark spot. Naruto shook his head happily.

"Just a small bit- nothing too strenuous," he told Sasuke, leaning in closer to press his lips against those of the raven's. Sasuke inhaled through his nose as he kissed back, feeling the passion behind the lips as he moved closer, tongue darting out to swipe at the blond's lower lip. Naruto willingly granted him entrance and subtly moaned at the feeling. A pale hand rose to tan cheeks and started to stroke them gently, and Naruto smiled against the raven's lips- until a cough interrupted them. The two broke apart- Sasuke adorning a pissed expression- to see their peers standing in a group. Sakura was grinning madly, Hinata was the shade of Snow White's apple, Kiba was looking away awkwardly, whilst Sai was there, one hand in Sakura's, the other being brought away from his mouth. Sasuke glared.

So he was the fucker who interrupted them!

The glare turned into a small growl, but the hand in his tightened slightly, calming the raven down. Sai noticed the action and smirked a little.

"Shall we go then?" he asked the group, all of who nodded in return. As they were walking towards Hogsmead, Naruto decided to ask Sakura a question.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, do you know what happened to my map?" Naruto mumbled, trying to make sure that nobody heard him talking about such a prized possession. She shook her head at him, going back to talking with Hinata about the love potion they had to make in their sixth year- reminiscing. Naruto sighed and leant against his boyfriend, taking in the scent of his deodorant and natural musk. He couldn't wait for the school year to be over- then he could go out into the world, move in with Sasuke, get a job in the Wizarding community and just live his life. Sasuke must've sensed that there was something wrong with the blond as he tilted his head down to look into despondent eyes.

'_How long will we last?_' The blond thought, throat closing up at the thought of Sasuke leaving him for another. The raven was surprised by the shaky grip of his boyfriend's hands and nodded to the group, telling them to walk ahead. The couple stopped, Sasuke turning to Naruto and bringing him in for a hug.

"Dobe, what's up?" Sasuke asked him gently as the blond leant against his chest, eyes staring blankly. He just sighed deeply and embraced the raven tighter.

"I love you, Sasuke," Naruto muttered quietly, earning a stiffening of the raven before him. Naruto could practically feel his heart shatter into a million pieces of glass, piercing his insides, until;

"I love you too, Naruto," Sasuke whispered in return. Shocked, the blond looked up to see his boyfriend smiling gently down at him. A blinding grin then overtook the features of the blond as he brought his boyfriend down for another kiss- both of them smiling into it. They broke apart, smiling, until a yell broke them out of their trance.

"Hurry up guys! I don't want the picnic to be ruined just because you guys are making out!" Sakura yelled, earning an indignant gasp from Kiba.

"I don't wanna know!" he yelled at the pinkette, who then threatened to punch the older boy- who in turn cowered behind Hinata. Naruto's jaw hung slack open, until a finger pushed it up closed again, and he turned to see Sasuke.

"C'mon dobe- I bet you're hungry," he muttered, earning an approving nod from the blond, who grabbed his hand and pulled him towards his friends, all worries cleared from his mind.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke! Hand me that box!" Naruto yelled from inside the house. The aforementioned raven sighed and just flicked his wand, making the box levitate towards the blond, who then grabbed it and placed it on the floor. A small switchblade was withdrawn from the blond's pocket, and he used it to open the box, noting that most of it was his and Sasuke's old school things- robes, notes and some prank merchandise they had purchased from Zonko's Joke Shop. Naruto grinned as he pulled out some dungbombs, wet-starting fireworks and other tricks of the like. His eyes then fell onto a piece of parchment, innocently sitting out of Sasuke's folded-up robes. Eyes widening, he unfolded the parchment to see that it was a map of his school, little dotted labels moving around. He caught the school principle, Tsunade, pacing in her office. His Charms teacher, Kakashi, was lounging in the staff room whilst a class was obviously outside, waiting to start the lesson. A nostalgic smile crossed Naruto's face as he eyed the familiar castle grounds through the parchment, taking in every detail. The blond jumped when he felt a hand fall onto his shoulder, spinning around to see it was Sasuke, frowning.<p>

"Teme! How did you get my map?" Naruto asked aghast. Sasuke smirked and sat down beside the blond on the floor.

"You dropped it the day we got together- it's how I knew you were in the Boys' Toilets," Sasuke told the blond, who hummed in contemplation.

"Plausible. But why didn't you give it back- or at least wipe it clean!" Naruto protested, still scanning the piece of parchment, recognising the Potions master in his room. Sasuke hummed.

"It was interesting, and I didn't know you could wipe it clean," Sasuke stated, gently taking the map from his lover's hands and witnessing the movement in the castle for himself. He smirked when he saw the deputy-headmaster standing by outside the female staff bathroom, pointing this out to the blond, who chuckled in return.

"Ah, Ero-sennin is never gunna change," he sighed with a nostalgic smile. A hand found its way into his own, and the nostalgic smile turned a little sad.

"I miss the place," he muttered, leaning against the raven, who hummed in contemplation, pressing a kiss to the blond's temple.

"Me too. But we're adults now, we can't stay in school forever," Sasuke told the blond, who sighed once more and turned to his lover with a small smile.

"Mm, yeah, I guess so," he muttered, pressing a gentle kiss to the other's lips, who smiled in return. The blond turned back to the piece of parchment, withdrawing his wand.

"But for now; mischief managed."

And the map went blank.

* * *

><p><strong>ROLL THE CREDITS!<strong>

**C'mon, you can just imagine a Harry Potter credits sequence here now, can't you! What with the music and all that- y'know? Or is it just me? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one ^_^ (I can't believe these are taking me so long to complete -_-) But still, the next one, I think, is 'Drowning'... I think... Oh, and if you DO have any questions about this one, don't hesitate to ask!**

**But still, I hope you enjoyed 'Mischief Managed'!**

**This fic is sponsored by your reviews~**


	8. Drowning

**Author's Note:** This one… is sorta dark… in a way. It was inspired by Florence and the Machine's song, 'Never Let Me Go', and when I looked in the little book you get with the CD (yes, I still buy CDs XD) something her editor said caught my eye and made me think. Still, this one is pretty… let us just say it's not something I'd usually write- but it came to me and it won't get out of my brain!

**Warnings:** SasuNaru, supernatural things, and suicide (character death) so, yeah, Dark Angst.

**Disclaimer:** I OWN NOTHING! NOTHING, I TELL YOU!_!_!

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><p><strong>Drowning<strong>

Uchiha Sasuke didn't know why, but he had always been attracted to the idea of drowning…

No, not drowning- just the idea of being encased by something that could purify you.

Just to be embraced by something so simple- so everyday- but at the same time, it didn't make you feel simple, you'd feel as though you were the most important thing on the planet.

It was sort of like _Him_.

Sasuke shook his head, ridding his mind of such thoughts. _He_ was gone now, snatched away. The boy who was so simple- so everyday- but at the same time, _He_ didn't make you feel simple, just that you were the most important thing on the planet.

It _was_ _Him_.

A deep breath caught in the throat of the raven- the one with bloodshot eyes and cut wrists. Drowning would be suitable, he thought. It would be like being in _his_ arms as he died- just as it was on _that_ night.

The cold bit at his ankles as he stepped into the river, his shoes becoming filled with the mud that he'd unsettled from his steps.

_Naruto._

It was the only thought racing through the other man's head. How his lover had been so cruelly taken from him. It was surreal.

A living nightmare.

As he gazed down into the water that was soaking his feet, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

_Sasuke..._

The raven's head perked up at the noise he had heard. He was so sure that it had been...

No- it wasn't. It was a figment of his imagination. He'd told himself this many times before- that it wasn't real. It was his mind trying to make something true when it hurt so badly. That was what his psychiatrist had said anyway- not that he'd listen to him anyway. As he stared back down into the water, he felt a warm mass against his back, warm arms slipping around his waist from behind and a forehead on his shoulder.

_The water... is so friendly... Sasuke..._

Another tear slipped from broken onyx eyes. His demeanour shattered, he tried to lean back against the smaller body behind him, only to stumble slightly, falling onto his backside.

_Sasuke... you can't touch me..._

The raven wanted to scream out- release all the emotional agony he was feeling into the air. He wanted the sound waves to carry away his pain and memories. He didn't want to remember his blond. He didn't want the pain.

_Stones, Sasuke..._

The voice was whispering into his ear, and from the corner of his eyes, he could see the projection of the blond kneeling down beside him, placing his hands in the water and having them ghost over the pebbles beneath. Desperate, Sasuke shoved his hands into the water, creating a huge splash.

_Don't be harsh with the water, Sasuke... or the water will be harsh with you._

Sasuke blinked towards the projection of his lover, taking in the glowing tan skin and the blond spikes that were giving off so much light. It was as though someone had turned the transparency of his lover down, but the brightness intensity all the way up. It didn't help when a happy, blinding grin was sent his way.

_Isn't this fun, Sasuke?_

He asked with a happy laugh. Sasuke felt his heartbeat quicken at the sound, and wanted nothing more than to touch the man in front of him. He had reached out his hand to do just that, when a glowing hand was pressed into his, but the feeling of air was absolute, and Sasuke choked back a sob.

"Naru," he whispered brokenly, but all depressing thoughts stopped when three stones were dropped into his palm.

_Put them in your pocket, Sasuke._

The raven did as he was told, placing the three stones in his pocket, feeling much better. If he could hold on to these stones, he would have something to connect him to Naruto- the pictures were of the past- the stones were of _now_.

Another smile appeared on the blond's face as he stood up, and waded further into the river.

_C'mon Sasuke, let's go!_

The blond had called out in a cheerful laughter. Ignoring the bitter cold, the way the river seemed to get deeper and the fact that he couldn't rise to the surface, he continued walking towards Naruto. Eventually, he had reached the bottom of the river, water filling his senses. He didn't care about that though. The moonlight that had once been covered by clouds was leaking to the bottom of the riverbed, fractured by the ripples.

As the water filled the mouth of the raven, he couldn't help but smile and feel the small stones in his pocket that weighed so much.

_Naruto..._

His body heavy, he decided to lay down on the riverbed- the name acting as it was supposed to be. The mud was soft. Embracing him.

_Sasuke... I love you._

The raven smiled and opened his eyes, catching the refracted moonlight, before turning his head to the right, seeing his lover once more. As the last bubble escaped his lips, Sasuke smiled, his eyes sliding shut once more.

_Do you love me, Sasuke? _

A nod in reply.

_Forever?_

Another nod. Sasuke was now becoming worried, the conversation sounding familiar...

"_Sasuke... I have a brain tumour. They said there's nothing they can do!" the blond told the raven in a shaky voice, his skin pale. Sasuke's skin colour faded to that of a sickly grey at the news, words tumbling from his lips, all the same._

'_No!'_

_Before anything else could be said, Sasuke had covered the distance in one step, bringing his blond into a crushing hug and pressing kisses to his temples, whispering reassurances both to himself and his lover._

'_It'll be okay...'_

_..._

_It had been three months since Naruto had been diagnosed, and he was becoming weaker by the day. Sasuke was struggling, not liking how his dobe was being cruelly and painfully ripped from the world. Every day he woke up, Sasuke wished he could turn back the clock and force his blond to the hospital earlier for a CT Scan._

_The two were down by the river at the end of their garden, Naruto sitting in his swim shorts as he rested against Sasuke in the water, feeling the smoothness of the stone beneath him._

"_Stones, Sasuke," he muttered cheerfully. Sasuke turned around with a small smile as the blond gently caressed the stones beneath his fingertips, relishing in the feeling. Sasuke watched with a smile, splashing his hands down to join with his lover's. Naruto frowned at his boyfriend weakly, and Sasuke's heart felt as though it had been pierced with a thousand senbon needles._

"_Don't be harsh with the water Sasuke, or the water will be harsh with you," the blond told him sincerely, before breaking out into a blinding grin at the raven's heartbroken expression._

"_Isn't this fun, Sasuke?" Naruto asked with so much energy, Sasuke could almost believe for a moment that he wasn't dying, that he was going to be okay. A small smile overtook his face at the expression and liveliness of the blond._

"_Naru," the whisper was broken, and said blond could obviously sense the distress, so he picked up three stones at random and placed them into Sasuke's palm. It was then that throbbing headache overtook the blond, and he yelled out in pain, hands rushing to his nose to try and stem the blood. Sasuke yelled out in shock, pulling the blond close and pressing soothing kisses to his temples._

"_Shh, Naru, it's okay! You're going to be okay!" he almost yelled, his voice cracking. Naruto shook his head, slowly, pain-filled blue eyes capturing onyx._

"_I... I don't think that- AH!" he yelled, gripping at his head as more blood gushed from his nose. Sasuke was now in full-fledged panic mode, not knowing what to do._

"_N-No! Naruto! Stay with me! C'mon, let's get you to the house and call an ambulance!" he slurred, tears mixing into his words. The blond struggled to open his eyes to gaze once more into the onyx he loved so much._

"_I-I love you, Sasuke," he whispered, before his eyes slipped shut, and his body went lax in the arms of the raven. Sasuke couldn't breathe as tears splashed onto the body of the blond who had been playing in the river not five minutes ago._

"_N-Naru!"_

A smile overtook the features of the raven when he felt a hand on his cheek. Everything was warm, and he opened his eyes to be met with a smiling blond in white clothes that were soft to the touch. Startled, Sasuke shot up and grabbed the blond pulling him in for a hug, inhaling the scent that he had missed. The smaller male hung onto his lover tightly in return, placing a small kiss to his collarbone.

"I missed you, Sasuke," Naruto muttered, a tear splashing onto the place he had just kissed. Sasuke smiled and pulled back placing a kiss on the lips of his lover.

"Well, you have me now. And you that no matter what, I'll love you forever."

* * *

><p><strong>It was dark, but it had a kind of happy ending... I think... I dunno : Hrrrm... Well, not much to say on this one really, other than "I'm sorry this is so pathetically short". Not too sure what the next one's going to be, to be perfectly honest... maybe I should work a little bit on 'Possessed'... Or, because I've lost my sheet of words, anybody wanna give me a word/phrase to write to?**

**~I love reviews **


	9. Prison Break

**Author's Note:** As mentioned in the last chapter, I lost my sheet/tabs of paper with all my words/phrases on them (stupid, unorganized me) and so I asked you guys to provide me with any words/phrases you wanted me to write. Juura99 came back with 'Prison Break', and this is what I got! Hope you guys enjoy it!

**Warnings:** Violence, swearing, SasuNaru.

**Disclaimer: **All 'Naruto' characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I am making no profit from these stories... unfortunately. I'm broke :'(

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><p><strong><span>Prison Break<span>**

The silver-haired guard paced up and down the halls lazily, his cap parting his hair in centre as he adjusted it over his eyes. The flashlight he held in his hand was sweeping over every nook and cranny, illuminating everything in his path. A rattle then sounded, and the guard tensed. Even though he had been in the police force for almost ten years, Mizuki was still shit scared of all things paranormal. He had witnessed what would give most grown men nightmares, and yet the man still insisted that every night that he was sleeping at home, he would check under his bed and in his wardrobe for monsters. Hell, the man would even go on horror sprees, watching a load of movies, only to be sitting in his bed late at night, a small paranoid feeling in the back of his head. The point is, that same, small paranoid feeling was present once more, causing him to sweat slightly. It didn't help that he was down the corridor that held the most dangerous criminal of all time.

Uchiha Sasuke.

The twenty-three year old was on death row, accused of treason against the country he lived in. It was only his influence as an Uchiha that kept him from being sentenced to death immediately, but instead had him sitting in a cell to torture the guards. Slowly, Mizuki turned around, flashlight in a death grip. His eyes widened to epic proportions, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw the sight.

"Boo," was the simple statement that had him falling to the floor, shocked. His co-worker, twenty-one year old Uzumaki Naruto, was stood behind him, a massive, creepy grin on his face, whilst he shined the torch under his chin. As he saw his co-worker fall to the floor, the blond started laughing hysterically, bent over with tears of mirth in his eyes.

"Oh my God! You almost pissed yourself!" he cried out, choking on the air, making weird noises as he sucked in the breaths. On the floor, Mizuki glared at the blond, still slightly shaken.

"You little shit! What if it hadn't been you and someone had broken out?" he snarled, earning a waving hand from the blond.

"Oh, phoo-ey. As if I'd let anyone escape on _my_ watch!" he declared proudly, puffing his chest out. Mizuki just glared weakly, a pout playing on his features. It was true, what Naruto was saying. None of the criminals had _ever_ misbehaved around him- something about him being influential and- overheard from an inmate with long, blond hair- adorably cute in a position of power.

"Whatever- you're here to relieve me of my shift?" Mizuki asked, desperate to get home and watch the newest episode of 'Doctor Who' with his wife and family. Naruto shook his head.

"C'mon Mizuki-sensei, you _know_ that your shift runs until two in the morning. Sorry, I'm just here to keep you company," Naruto stated, extending a hand down to his boss to help him up. Mizuki sighed, eyeing the place once more.

"I have a bad feeling about tonight," he muttered to the blond, who was at least a foot shorter than he was. Naruto nodded, eyeing the only cell from within the whole block. It was right at the end, but at the moment, it was empty- Sasuke had gone in for interrogation once more. Each time the raven had come back, he would be covered in cuts, the interrogation officer, Morino Ibiki, would come back looking disheartened. However, each time the interrogation officer had returned Sasuke to his cell, Naruto had always been there, hovering, with a glint of sadness in his eyes. None of the officers knew why, but Sasuke and Naruto spent a lot of time with each other. Naruto was the only one the Uchiha would talk to, and Ibiki had tried time and time again to persuade Naruto to take control of the interrogation. They still didn't know why Sasuke had tried to rebel, if he had any help, and who his allies were. The stoic Uchiha would remain silent during each process, gaining more cuts and injuries, that, unknown to the others, Naruto would later tend to.

"I think something bad's going to happen- the inmates have been too quiet today," Mizuki mused further, earning a hum of observation from the blond, whose interest now lay on the metal door to the corridor that was being unlocked. Ibiki entered, carrying an abused Sasuke with him, and Mizuki instantly saw how Naruto's eyes held a tint of worry and fear in them.

'_Just what's going on between those two?_' he asked himself, as Naruto took Sasuke from Ibiki, the two of them talking about the interrogation, which held nothing new. A pale arm was slung over the shoulder of the blond and he helped the Uchiha into his cell. Mizuki stood nervously by the heavy metal door that acted as a barrier between him and the criminal as Naruto gently sat the raven down onto his bed, watching as the raven smirked. Naruto then coughed.

"Mizuki, can you leave the corridor a minute please? I need to talk to Sasuke, alone," he told the older officer in a voice so low and threatening, it made the man shiver.

"S-sure thing. If you need anything, just call," he told the blond, before making his way out of the corridor and closing the heavy metal door behind him.

Back in Sasuke's cell, Naruto let out a deep breath, worry painting his features as he gently skimmed his fingertips over the older male's face.

"What did they do to you this time?" he asked, worry caking his voice so thickly, any other emotion would have had a snowball's chance in Hell of getting through. A small, gentle smirk was sent his way, and a blood-covered hand gently took the fingers away from his face.

"Dobe, I'm fine," he muttered, secretly enjoying the fact that he had the most beloved police officer's attention all to himself. Naruto narrowed his eyes, only slightly annoyed by the 'dobe' comment.

"Teme, they're _torturing_ you in there! Please, just tell them what you know!" the blond almost begged, making Sasuke sigh.

"You know I can't do that, Naru," he muttered to the officer, watching as heartbreak overtook any feeling the blond was displaying. Anger then graced his features.

"You're so fucking selfish!" he spat, taking his eyes away from the onyx that had the ability of reading him so well. A hand was placed to his cheek, tilting his head up slightly. Despondent blue locked with calm onyx, which then softened as he leant in to press a small kiss to the lips of the man before him.

"Dobe, I'll be fine." Sasuke whispered against the other's lips, touching their foreheads together. Naruto swallowed, closing his eyes and nodding at the same time.

"I hate it when you control me so easily," he joked, not wanting the raven to feel his own unease. Sasuke's death date was drawing closer, and Naruto had yet to get him to spill any secrets. It was almost as if the raven wanted to die. His eyes snapped open, a sense of desperation washing over him as he thought of the fact that his childhood friend- his lover- wouldn't be in the world for much longer. Fuelled by that thought and desire, he pressed his lips against the other's in a fierce kiss, which the raven took in stride, managing to keep up with the blond perfectly. He could feel the desperation in the other's movements and he knew that the blond was worried. That he was scared.

Little did he know, that the blond was also planning.

As his pale hands slid inside the blue shirt of the other's uniform, and the kissing grew more intense, he had no idea of the plan that was formulating in his lover's mind. For now, it was just the two of them, locked in an embrace.

* * *

><p>Deidara looked up, seeing that his favourite officer had come to visit him. Although he was eight years older than the other blond was, he still admired him for his courage and perseverance against the wrongdoers of the world. So it came as a gargantuan shock when he heard the officer's proposition. All he could do was gape like a fish, until he saw that the smaller man's hands were shaking.<p>

"Naruto-kun, are you okay, un?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Naruto's head snapped up from where it had been hung, staring at the desk after finishing his proposal. Deidara's visible eye widened tenfold when he saw that- even though the blond had been talking in a calm steady voice- his eyes were bloodshot- as though he'd been crying all night-and that underneath them, were dark bags. The blond had been losing sleep over something, and Deidara was determined to find out what.

"N-no. Sasuke's date has been moved up." He explained in a whisper, making sure that none of the other inmates in the courtyard had heard him. Sasuke was still in his cell, not allowed a recess in case he tried to escape. Deidara widened his eyes, and he went a little pale.

"You're joking, right, un?" he asked, trying to play it off with a shaky smile, but when Naruto's fists clenched and slammed on the wooden table between them, he knew the blond wasn't joking.

"Why would I joke about such a thing when you know what position we're in?" he hissed, making Deidara swallow at the tone. Gently, he took the tan hands in his own, trying to soothe the officer's nerves.

"Yes, Naruto. I'll help. On one condition though, un." He stated, taking one hand away and holding one finger up to indicate the 'one condition'. Naruto eyed him carefully, being careful to make sure that this 'condition' wouldn't get him into any more trouble than he already wa- A sigh escaped his lips- he couldn't possibly be in any more trouble than he was going to be in.

"What is it?" he asked the other blond, who grinned wildly in return.

"I get to drive the car, un!" he stated proudly, puffing out his chest. Naruto's jaw dropped to the table, and he had a hard time not declining the offer there and then. He really didn't like other people driving his car- and if Deidara was going to be driving his car, in the situation they were in, he had a horrible sinking feeling that it would never be the same again. The thought of Sasuke sitting on the electric chair tomorrow evening then invaded his mind, and he felt a little sick for being so selfish.

"Fine," he replied easily, making the blond cheer loudly at the final answer. Naruto mentally shed a tear for his car, but decided that in the end, it would be worth it. Naruto nodded and stood up.

"You know where I want it set up, and I want it done at thirteen-thirteen _exactly_!" Naruto stressed to the blond, who saluted him. Naruto nodded once more, before turning away.

"I need to call Itachi," he told Deidara, who gasped slightly.

"Tell him I say 'hi'!" he yelled, earning confused glances from other inmates. Naruto just face-palmed and walked to the station, ready to make a call. He entered the main office, posture leaking confidence, and grabbed the phone, before he froze. He knew that the phone could be hacked and traced, so he set it down and pulled out his mobile phone, pressing the speed-dial for Itachi Uchiha. Three rings later, the phone was picked up, a slurred voice answering.

"N'yello?" it yawned, and Naruto frowned. It was two in the afternoon and he'd evidently just woken Itachi up.

"Itachi. It's Naruto. Sasuke's Death Date has been rescheduled for tomorrow at one in the afternoon," he told the older Uchiha, his reply being a loud crash as the other had evidently fallen out of bed.

"What?_!_" he asked, panicked. Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Sasuke's execution has been moved to tomorrow at one in the afternoon," he repeated. The silence at the other end of the phone was pressing on the blond and so he sighed.

"Itachi, I need you to be at the docks, with Kisame in a speedboat at twenty-five past one, do you understand me?" he asked sternly, earning a questioning noise.

"I then want you to drive me, and my load, to the mouth of the Abe River," Naruto sternly told him, earning an indignant gasp from Itachi.

"You really expect me to boat you and your shit from Osaka Bay that far after I've lost my brother?" he snarled. Naruto flinched at the sound but sighed and checked around to see if anyone was listening.

"You won't have lost your brother if you do this for me. I promise," he told the older man, who sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," he told the younger male, making said man blush slightly.

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow," he told the Uchiha before hanging up. He then glanced to the barred windows of the police station, noticing the grey clouds that had started to roll in. Swallowing, he closed his phone and stared as the first few drops of rain started to hit the frosted windows. A knock brought his out of his reverie, and he turned to the entrance to see Mizuki standing there, looking breathless.

"Uchiha wants to talk to you! He's holding himself at knifepoint! I don't even know where he got the knife from!" Mizuki yelled, panicking. Naruto's breathing ceased.

"Wh-what? Who's with him now?" he asked frantically, following the older man down to the cell where his lover- not that anyone knew that tiny bit of information apart from a select few- was being held. All sorts of bad scenarios were flashing through his mind, ranging from officers restraining the man to the raven being alone and actually ending his life.

"Shizune's with him," Mizuki stated, making the blond sigh with relief. If it was Shizune, no harm would come to the raven- Naruto trusted that opinion with his own life. As they reached the raven's cell door, Naruto burst his way through, walking straight up to Sasuke and slapping him across the face. Mizuki's jaw dropped, and Shizune looked a little alarmed. She then sighed and turned to Mizuki.

"You may go now, Mizuki," she dismissed the officer, making him bow in return and leave the cell. As soon as the corridor door closed, Naruto rounded on Sasuke.

"What the Hell kind of shit do you think you're pulling!" he yelled, stepping closer and grabbing the raven by his collar and pulling him down slightly to look into his own rage filled eyes.

"What would've happened if they'd refused?_!_" he roared, shoving the raven back, who looked as calm as anything as the blond started to pace, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Idiot! You're an idiot, Sasuke!" he choked, earning a slightly guilty feeling from the blond.

"Naruto-kun, it's ready," Naruto's pacing was interrupted by Shizune's voice, who held out a small vial of liquid toward the officer, who's attitude disappeared instantly, being replaced by excitement and gratitude.

"Shizune! You're awesome!" he told the matron, bringing her in for a crushing hug. She accepted it half-heartedly, patting the blond awkwardly on the back.

"Just remember that it needs to be taken before he goes in for it to work!" she told him sternly before breaking away and walking out of the cell door, leaving a euphoric Naruto and an extremely confused Sasuke.

"Dobe, what's that f- MMPH!" the raven's question was cut off when his lover launched himself at his body, wrapping his arms around the pale neck and bringing him in closer. Sasuke eventually responded with an equal amount of pressure, lifting the blond off the floor as he straightened up. They eventually broke apart, Sasuke being greeted with the sight of the world's brightest smile on his boyfriend's face.

"I take it you're not upset about tomorrow," Sasuke replied, a little pissed and –although he would never admit it- heartbroken at the fact that the blond was happy. He was seriously considering murdering the blond when he answered the question.

"Of course I'm not upset!" he squeaked excitedly. Sasuke was about to open his mouth, when Naruto held up the bottle Shizune had given him,

"Because I have this!" he clarified. Sasuke frowned.

"You're going to overdose? Dobe, why would you do such a thing?_!_" he snarled angrily. Naruto just waved his hand silencing the raven.

"Hush! This, Sasuke, is what you're going to take in your drink before you go in for your execution tomorrow." He told the raven, who just raised an eyebrow at the blond in question. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"This is what's gunna set you free, Sasuke. It's a chemical that- when introduced with electricity- pushes your body into a death-like state. You can be shot with the amount of electricity that they use on death row, and just be put into a coma for half an hour!" the blond exclaimed excitedly, making the raven speechless. Sasuke then found an issue.

"What about the autopsy?" he asked coldly, surprised when the blond waved his hand once more.

"Your autopsy is scheduled for quarter-past one. I've got a little surprise in store to get your unconscious ass outta there," Naruto grinned, making a small smile appear on the raven's face.

"Y'know, this'll be a miracle if it all goes to plan," he stated, pulling the blond closer making his boyfriend chuckle. The raven beamed, taking the vial from the officer and leaning down to steal a kiss from the lips he never tired of, before pulling away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, dobe," he whispered, making the blond give him a small smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke," he whispered in return, making his way out of the cell, and nodding to Shizune, who was waiting outside the door to supervise Sasuke overnight.

Naruto smiled as he walked into the office. Everything was going to be all right.

* * *

><p>Naruto was nervous.<p>

Today was the day when he would officially end his life here and start again somewhere else- with someone else. He paced around the office so much that eventually Mizuki snapped.

"You're gunna wear a hole in the floor; quit it!" he told the man, who ceased, and then nodded. It was nearing half-past twelve, and Naruto had to be there on the dot to make sure Sasuke received his last drink and took the chemical. Of course, with Shizune watching him for the entire evening, that part wouldn't be too hard. No. The hard part would be getting Deidara to show up at the right time. If he didn't, they'd be carrying Sasuke away in his car- which was filled with all of his most important/valued possessions- with his stomach half cut open, ribs on display. Naruto shuddered at the image, but Mizuki mistook it for fear and sadness, so he placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"It'll all be okay Naruto," he comforted, making the blond's insides squirm with guilt. He was going to miss Mizuki. Blue eyes then caught the time and he cursed, dashing off to Sasuke's cell in time to see Shizune hand him his last drink. The vial was empty, and Naruto sighed in relief. Onyx caught sapphire with an amused smirk as he turned the other way, having his wrists cuffed together by another officer who was in on everything. The deputy-head of the jail, Hatake Kakashi. The grey-haired man nodded to the blond, who nodded in return and walked up beside the raven.

"Ready?" he asked Sasuke, whose only answer was a small smirk as they walked towards the room that was to apparently die there. As they arrived, they saw the coroner standing to the side, and the head of the jail- Shimura Danzou- standing next to said chair. Everybody swallowed at what was to come, the event an uncomfortable one for sure.

As Sasuke was being strapped in to the chair, his rights being read to him, Naruto was waiting with bated breath. Half of him was worrying that it wouldn't work, the other half excited at the prospect of Sasuke being free. Just as Danzou pulled the switch down, Sasuke locked eyes with Naruto, a certain amount of uncertainty showing at the prospect. As soon as the first bolts of electricity were sent through the raven's body, Naruto turned away, squeezing his eyes shut, hands clamping over his ears to drown out the painful cries. Only when a hand was placed onto his shoulder did he open his eyes and glance to where Sasuke was sat, slumped in the seat, apparently dead. A tan hand clamped over his mouth, and he had to fight back the fake sob. Orochimaru checked his watch, feeling for Sasuke's pulse.

"Time of death, thirteen-zero-six," he muttered, as a gurney was wheeled in, and he took Sasuke from the chair and placed his body onto the gurney before wheeling him out. Naruto went to follow, but Danzou flung a hand out to stop him.

"Naruto-kun, I would rather that you didn't see this one," he told the blond with a small frown. The blond shook his head, making the elder become confused.

"I'll be fine- but thank you for your concern," he told the man, pushing past everyone and following Orochimaru to the morgue. As he passed by the weapons' locker, he grabbed two pistols- putting them into his holster on the inside of his jacket- a shotgun- which he gripped across his chest- and two grenades, one in each pocket. Checking his watch, he noted down the time.

13:11

He had two minutes to grab Sasuke a change of clothes and then get out. As he was walking down the corridor, a woman stared at him, a little bit of fear in her eyes.

"N-Naruto-kun?" she asked, cowering a little when blue eyes turned to her, and he strutted towards her, stealing the aviators that were hanging on her shirt.

"Shit just got real, Hina," he replied, slipping the shades on, when in the background, an explosion sounded. Naruto cursed and fled towards the morgue, seeing the dust settling and Orochimaru knocked out on the floor. His eyes then zoned in on the body on the table, and he strutted forward, picking him up when Deidara reversed the car in through the gap in the wall.

"Yo! Naruto! Get him in the car, un!" he yelled, flinging the rear door open, allowing the blond to place the body in the back of the car. A shot sounded, and he felt a bullet whizz past his ear, clipping the door. Naruto's vision went red- somebody had just harmed his car- his baby.

"Fuck this shit!" he seethed, turning on the spot, pulling out the pistol from his right holster and firing a shot at the officer, who cried out in shock as a bullet imbedded itself into their arm. Slamming the door shut, he ran to the passenger's side, flung the door open and slammed it shut after diving in.

"Drive, Deidara!" Naruto yelled, winding the window down and sitting on the ledge as the blond swerved out into the street. A few minutes later, three police cruisers swerved into view each with an officer with a weapon. Naruto smirked, taking aim and shooting out the front tyres of the nearest cruiser, causing it to swerve and crash into a nearby hydrant. From the side, Deidara cheered, serving harshly around a corner. Naruto cursed and scrambled for a hold, leaning in to yell at his driver.

"Deidara, remember that I _am_ precariously balanced!" Naruto roared, making sure that Sasuke was still okay at the same time. Deidara chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry, un!" he apologised, making Naruto roll his eyes and then check his watch.

"We've got five minutes to get to the docks!" he told the blond, who nodded in return, stepping on the accelerator. He hissed when a bullet grazed his shoulder, and another embedded into his right shooting arm.

"Fuck!" he yelled, dropping his weapon, glaring at the shooter. He grabbed the second pistol and went to shoot again, only to have his hand grazed by yet another bullet. He cringed, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Naruto-kun, we're almost there, un!" Deidara yelled. Panicking, Naruto pulled one of the grenades out of his pocket and told his companion to pull out the pin, which he willingly did- not realising that the blond was handicapped.

"Cheers! Make sure you change him!" Naruto yelled to Deidara, before rolling out of the window with the grenade clutched to his chest. He quickly threw it towards the remaining two cruisers and rolled to the side as the two burning cruisers smashed their way towards him, barrel rolling at the same time.

From the rear-view mirror, Deidara watched in horror as the officer tried to escape the two burning cars that were heading his way.

"Shit, un!" he hissed, breaking hard by the docks, swerving slightly. He stepped out of the car, eyes wide in shock as he saw the carnage behind him. He then heard a yelling behind him, and turned to see Itachi, running towards the car, to the boot to transfer the bags.

"Where's Naruto-kun? Where's Sasuke?" he asked hurriedly, getting a few people to carry the bags to the boat.

"S-Sasuke's in the back seat, un," he muttered quietly, earning a relieved sigh from the older brother as he spotted the boy, snoozing on the back seat, a set of clothes strewn over him. Itachi rolled his eyes at Naruto's failed attempts and went to scold the blond officer when he realised something.

"Deidara, where's Naruto-kun?" Itachi asked sternly, staring at the blond arsonist. Deidara shifted on the spot, eyes darting to the scene of carnage. Itachi's own eyes widened and his skin turned paler than what it normally would be.

"N-no way," he whispered, slumping against the car door. He placed his head in his hands as his thoughts flitted about in his head. No matter the result though, he knew that he still had to transfer Sasuke to Abe River Mouth where Naruto's contact would be waiting. But it was the matter of what Sasuke would do- he'd never known his little brother to have such feelings for another person, ever. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, and then rubbed his hand down his face.

"Fuck," he hissed, feeling an oncoming headache. It was only when there was the shifting of metal parts that he looked up, seeing someone stumble out of the wreckage. Squinting- because his eyesight wasn't the best- he could briefly work out that the person was quite short, and limping. There was also the sunshine threads of hair that were doused with dirt and ash. Relieved, Itachi ran up to the blond, hauling an injured arm over his shoulder to help the blond with movement. He was coughing up a little bit of blood, and he needed to get to a hospital if he was going to properly survive.

"Naruto-kun, thank you, but we need to get you to a hospital," he told the blond, who then shook his head frantically.

"No, I need to see S'ske. Ts'nade can help me when I get to Abe," he muttered, taking his arm back and stumbling over to his car and pulling the back door open, to glance with hazy eyes at a sleeping raven. A smile over took his face as he collapsed to the side of the door, leaning against his baby.

"Thank God," he whispered, pushing his hands together and leaning on them, before he sobbed a bit, blood slipping from between his lips. It was then that Sasuke stirred, opening his eyes to see the battered Naruto leaning outside of the car, looking as though he was struggling to breathe. Sasuke sat up too quickly, regretting it when his head swam and nausea fired him to throw up in the front seat. Weakly, Naruto recognised the sound.

"I'm gunna kill you for throwing up in my car, Sasuke," he muttered, although his comment was ignored in favour of the raven scrambling over the back seats to see his lover.

"N-Naruto!" he mumbled, still nauseas. Blue eyes locked with onyx and the smaller male smiled.

"H-hey Sasuke," he mumbled, earning a slack jaw from the older man. Sasuke scrambled out of the car and knelt in front of the blond, black slacks hastily applied and the white shirt crumpled.

"N-Naruto! Are you okay?" he asked, almost desperately. A tan hand gripped a pale one and a smile crossed the lips of the blond.

"Of course! We just need to get to Abe!" he told Sasuke, who sighed in relief.

"Thank God," he muttered, pulling the blond to his chest and pressing a kiss to his temple. Sasuke then turned to Itachi, a small smile on his face.

"Aniki! Are you giving us a lift?" Sasuke asked, earning a disapproving frown.

"He needs the hospital Sasuke, and then he'll most probably go to jail," Itachi told the raven, who frowned.

"Itachi, if Naruto says he's fine, then he's fine!" he snapped, pulling the blond closer to his chest protectively. Itachi sighed frustratedly and eyed the staff he had hired to put the luggage onto the boat.

"If he dies on the way, you're responsible," Itachi told him harshly, making Sasuke wince, but nod. Itachi nodded in return, helping Naruto up, earning a weak smile.

"Let's go start a fresh life," he mumbled, moving towards the boat, both Uchiha's supporting him. Sasuke was constantly shooting the blond nervous glances, at one point Naruto caught him, and sent him a small smile. Sasuke just sighed and squeezed him slightly as they arrived at the boat, looking towards the vehicle, seeing a blue-haired man leaning up against it, arms folded across his chest.

"You look like shit," he commented with a grin, making Naruto scoff and Sasuke growl. Kisame noticed the growl and raised his hands in a peace gesture.

"Relax, Sasuke. Tsunade will fix him up when we get there," he told the smaller Uchiha, whose glare didn't disappear, but a hand on his cheek forced him to look towards the blond, and he noticed that it was the blond himself.

"Sasuke, don't worry. Tsunade will fix me up," he told the raven gently, leaning in to press a kiss to the others lips, who gently returned it.

"Yeah. She always was good at what she did," he replied gently, earning a soft smile, and a retching noise in the background from Kisame.

"If you two are gunna be like this the whole journey, I'm gunna be more than sea-sick!" he complained, gesturing down his throat with two fingers. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Itachi smacked the man upside the head.

"Shut up, idiot and let's get going," he told the man, who nodded and jumped at the front of the boat and grabbed the steering wheel. Sasuke led them both to the boat and helped Naruto sit down comfortably. Itachi joined Kisame at the front as he started up the boat to make their journey to Abe River.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke! Stop that!" Naruto yelled as he brought in a basket of washing. Said raven just looked up from where he was innocently poking at the dinner Naruto had made earlier.<p>

"It's gross, you can't cook to save your life, dobe," he told the blond, who just huffed and dropped the basket of washing onto the sofa in the other room before coming back through.

"Well excuse me for not being a woman!" he snapped in return, grabbing the dish from in front of his boyfriend and dumping it all in the bin.

"There we go, problem sorted!" he hissed, making the raven snort.

"Seriously, I'd rather be eating the prison food," he joked, Naruto stilled at the comment, and Sasuke could tell that he'd just crossed an invisible line- especially seeing as the glass the blond had grabbed for a drink then shattered in his grip. The smirk had vanished instantly after that and Sasuke stood up, swiftly going over to the blond, worry caking his features.

"D-dobe! Look what you did!" he tried to scold, masking the worry with his harsh words. Naruto had yet to move, or even indicate that he was in any sort of pain, and this made the raven anxious. Usually Naruto would be screaming at him at this point in their arguments, but now he was just silent- until Sasuke made his way over with a first aid kit and went to clean up the glass, that is.

"Do you really mean that? Is it really so bad living with me?" the blond muttered, making the raven freeze as he dumped the glass shards into the bin along with the ruined food. A gentle look overtook his features as he approached his boyfriend, gently taking the injured hand in his own as he started to tend to it.

"You know I don't mean it, dobe," he replied softly, making the blond wince as he withdrew a shard of glass from the palm of his hand.

"It's just that you say it so often now- I'm wondering if you're starting to regret what I did," he muttered, earning a hand gently cupping his cheek, forcing him to look into onyx eyes.

"I'll never regret it, Naruto. You saved me back there, and that's that. I only meant to insult your cooking, not drive you away," he replied, a little bit of humour covering the comforting words. There was a bittersweet snort from the blond as he forced himself to look down again.

"Bastard," he muttered with a small smile. Sasuke then bandaged the hand up, making the blond yelp when he slapped it.

"There we go, back to normal," he stated lightly, meaning both the hand and their moods. Naruto turned to Sasuke with a blinding grin.

"Yeah, except you're supposedly dead and I'm an outlaw in all the main cities," he joked, poking the raven in the cheek. Sasuke just rolled his eyes at the comment and brought the blond in for a kiss, to which the other responded to happily.

"That's what happens when you are an accomplice in a prison break- especially with such a high-class prisoner as myself," he mumbled against the blond's lips, who in return shrugged and placed his arms around the other' neck.

"Who cares? Best decision I ever made."

* * *

><p><strong>SUDDEN ENDING!<strong>

**Fufufu, I typed most of this whilst listening to Cryaotic's livestream. Funny shit that- but then I fell asleep :/ sucks, right? But seriously, the conversations were hilarious...**

**Aaaaaanyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Once again I need themes until I can re-do my list of subjects- so at the moment, think of this as a request story! Only stick to one word, or phrases, not whole plots. I like to be a freelance writer, thanks ^_^**

**So, once again, this was 'Prison Break', phrase chosen by Juura99. I hope you enjoyed it! **

**~Until next time!**


	10. Fairy Tale

**Author's Note:** I have yet to recover the list :/ At least I remember a few though :) SO! Here is the next instalment of 'A Century of Words'. This one is 'Fairy Tale', and is one that- not only is one I remember from the original list- but is actually going to be written in the style of a child's fairy tale! Let's all feel like children now, shall we! I recommend reading this before bed, or as a bedtime story whilst listening to 'The Writer' by Ellie Goulding :3

**Warnings:** SasuNaru, evil wizards, demons ,mild violence, mild swearing and the classic opening of 'Once upon a Time'.

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto owns all! I think he'd kill me for doing this to his protagonist XD

* * *

><p><strong>Fairy Tale<strong>

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a king with great powers. His name was Fugaku- Uchiha Fugaku- and he ruled over his kingdom with his wife by his side, forever happy with the way things were. However, the time soon came where Fugaku wished for an heir, someone to carry on his work after he died. And so he had two children, both boys.

The first was a genius, always working for his father- his name was Itachi.

The second was a quiet boy, always broody, but a handsome genius nonetheless. His name was Sasuke.

Over time, the boys grew into handsome men, with women swooning as they walked past. Itachi had already chosen a fiancée, however- a woman named Konan with beautiful blue hair and a passion for origami. Sasuke, however, was still waiting for the right person to come along. He wanted someone to challenge him, not mindlessly follow his every order with a puddle of drool at their feet.

The king couldn't have loved his wife more for producing two excellent sons, both of which were destined to take over the throne. That was where his predicament lay, however.

Which son would take the crown after his passing?

The obvious choice was Itachi, as he was older, stronger, and had excelled first in his studies- but Fugaku didn't think that that was fair, and so consulted his advisor and great wizard, Madara. Madara told the king that the best way to choose an heir would be for him to send his sons out into the world to defeat the supposed evil beast by the name of Kyuubi. Fugaku had doubts, however. Not even the Yellow Flash had managed to properly defeat the Kyuubi, only subdue him in an inferior form that was apparently to break free after eighteen years. Fugaku pondered over the issue for many an eve, before he eventually consulted with his wife, Mikoto. Mikoto was a beautiful woman with midnight black hair and chocolate brown eyes; it was no wonder why Fugaku had fallen for her. They spent the night sitting up, discussing what should happen, before eventually Mikoto came up with a proposal. They would send Itachi out first- for he was older and stronger- and if he could not defeat the Kyuubi, they would not send Sasuke. Nor Mikoto nor Fugaku would be able to handle losing both of their sons. With the decision made, Fugaku informed both of his sons the following morning of what was to happen. After the explanation, both men had understood what was to become of them, and Itachi immediately set off, eager to please his father with his results. Sasuke watched with a slight jealousy as his brother left, always being the favourite.

It had been many a moon before Itachi eventually returned, but without the beats- dead or alive- in tow, which made the castle frown.

"What happened, dear eldest?" Fugaku asked as his son just collapsed into a chair, looking exhausted and travel-worn.

"I could not kill the beast," he told his father, shame lacing his voice. Fugaku's eyes widened at the admission, but still marvelled at the fact his eldest was still alive.

"How did you survive? Did thy not find the beast?" Fugaku asked his son, disappointed.

"Nay. I found him, but I could not kill him, for those eyes were of the purest ocean, hair of the golden sun of which life lives under. He spared me father, and thou shalt be gracious!" Itachi spoke in a gushed voice, his face flushed. Fugaku opened his mouth, but closed it in thought. His younger son was much colder, and would have no hesitance in killing this beast.

"Sasuke, thou shalt not tarry! I beseech thee, slaughter this beast and bring me thine's head!" Fugaku told Sasuke, who nodded obediently, and instantly set out to find the beast that would claim his father's approval and eventually the crown.

Sasuke wandered for a few months, but had yet to come across this 'beast' that so many people spoke of. As he sat on a rock, chin resting on his interlaced fingers, he considered abandoning the obviously foolish quest. It wouldn't be the first time that Madara had made something up, but then there was the question of Itachi.

"What did thou see, dear brother," he muttered, frowning into the distance.

"Art thou lost?" a voice interrupted his thoughts, and the prince looked up to see a blond with dazzling blue eyes bending down to see him, hands clasped behind his back. His onyx eyes narrowed as he thought the question over, and he growled slightly, making the smile drop from the blond's face instantly.

"Nay, dunce. I seek a beast," he told the man as he stood up, glad to see that he was at least seven inches taller than the blond was. The blond's face twisted in an expression of displeasure at the insult and he folded his arms across his chest.

"Tyrant! I was only besought ones whereabouts!" he pouted, making the raven boil in fury.

"Thou durst call _me_ a tyrant?_!_" he yelled, making the blond bristle in return, before he folded his arms and went to walk away. Panicking, for this might be the only person he came across for a while, Sasuke called out.

"Hast thou seen a beast?" Sasuke called, making the blond stop in his tracks and turn around. A strange, sad expression overtook his face.

"Aye, but I cannot reveal where," he told the raven, who growled.

"Dunce! I am Prince Uchiha Sasuke, next in line for the throne. Thou shalt obey my request! Where is the beast?_!" _he yelled, making the blond flinch.

"Fine. But it is a long journey from here- I know whence the beast resides," he muttered, making the prince instantly relax and nod. Only after a few miles of walking, did the prince ask the blond his name.

"Naruto," the blond replied, still walking onwards to the destination in mind.

Over the course of the long journey, the prince had started to admire the blond- noticing how the blue eyes seemed to shine under the stars, how his tan- as natural as it was- would make it seem like he was glowing under the moonlight, his golden locks becoming a messy halo as he slept. Then there were the queer markings on his cheeks- three of them on each one, making them look like whiskers.

On the eve of their arrival at the beast's realm, Sasuke had decided to ask about them.

"Nay, Naruto. How did thou obtain those markings? They're queer, nay." He asked, tilting his head to the side, his bangs swinging with him. Naruto shuffled slightly and swallowed.

"Fere, please, do not harm me when I tell thou," Naruto begged the prince. Sasuke blinked, 'Fere'? Since when had he become this teen's 'fere'? He nodded nonetheless.

"I am the Kyuubi," he breathed, looking into his lap. The prince was thrown in for a loop. This teen, was the Kyuubi? He saw the blond, saw how he was withdrawn.

"Naruto, thou are a dunce. Why would I harm thou? My fere?" he asked, leaning forward to pull the blond in for a hug. Ocean eyes widened in shock, but he flung his arms around the raven's neck nonetheless.

"Thank you," the boy whispered, over and over again, a few tears escaping his eyes and slipping down the raven's back. Sasuke just smiled slightly and waited.

That eve, when the blond was asleep, the prince crept over him, kunai in hand; ready to slit the boy's throat. He raised his arm high, ready to strike, when the blond turned in his sleep, exposing his face to the moonlight, making Sasuke's breath catch in his throat. Could he really kill this teen? His heart beat painfully fast as the tan hand reached blindly out, gently touching the leg of the prince. It was at that point that Sasuke decided that, no, he couldn't kill this teen. His head was spinning though- if he didn't kill the teen, by the time he was eighteen, the Kyuubi would burst free and destroy everything. He didn't want to do it, but he had to. As far as he knew, there was no other way to break the curse. With his heart hardened, he went to delve the kunai deep into the teen's neck but stopped when the blue eyes flung open, panicked, and he stuck the kunai into the ground beside the blond.

"S-Sasuke?" he stuttered, eyes filled with tears at the attempted murder. Sasuke swallowed hard.

"I am sorry; Naruto, but I must do this. For if I do not, my town shall be destroyed when thoust demon breaks free," he snarled. Naruto started shaking beneath the Uchiha who had straddled his hips.

"P-please! There is a way to break the curse!" Naruto cried, flinching when the kunai was ripped from the ground and pressed to his throat. Sasuke's eyes took on a confused look as he stared at the teen beneath him.

"How?" the prince quizzed. Panting, Naruto looked up deep into the onyx eyes.

"True love's first kiss," he whispered breathlessly. The kunai dropped to the ground, clattered as Sasuke realised what the blond was insinuating. He looked into the blond's breath-taking blue eyes as he stared into the ebony pools that were the raven's.

"Why me?" Sasuke whispered, leaning closer and clasping the tan hands beneath him. Naruto shrugged.

"Dost thou care? I hath naught a reason as to why I chose you," Naruto whispered in return. The prince smirked and leant forward.

"This shall break the curse?" Sasuke clarified, wanting – not only for the Kyuubi to be gone- but for him to be the blond's true love.

"If it does not, thou can slaughter the beast as you came to do so," Naruto smiled. The prince leant forward, pressing his lips to the ones of the blond below him. The reaction was instantaneous. Warmth flooded throughout the blond, the feeling of fireworks exploding throughout his body as the prince moved his lips against those of the blond's. Even when the reaction had stopped, the prince did not break away, wanting to never part from the lips that tasted so heavenly against his own. It was only when the need for air became too much that he broke away, a warm, dazzling smile being sent to the blond, who returned it full force with a heart-warming grin.

When Sasuke returned to the castle, with the blond in tow, Itachi made a double take.

"Brother! Hast thou lost one's mind?_!_" he questioned, apparently thinking that he had come to hand the blond over- until he saw that their fingers were linked. Fugaku frowned at his son in question.

"Sasuke, what is the meaning of this?" he quizzed. However, being the smart woman she was, Mikoto figured it out.

"So you have chosen a suitor?" she questioned, smiling ecstatically when her son nodded. Fugaku just went pale before clearing his throat.

"Are you sure about this, son? You will not be able to have children," Fugaku told his boy, who nodded in reply.

"I love Naruto- I wouldn't give him up for anything," the prince stated, making the blond next to him beam, instantly winning over the Uchihas. Eventually the two were wed under the stars, and Sasuke moved out into the woods where Naruto had been living all the time. Itachi took over from his father on the throne. And with a bit of help from Madara, there were the little pitter-patter's of feet on floor around the house.

In the house, Sasuke sat in a large armchair by a fire, Naruto kneeling by his side, three children sitting in awe at the raven as he read the story.

"And they all lived happily ever after," he told the three children, who had their mouths open. Naruto chuckled and lifted the youngest up whilst the other two trailed at his feet.

"Come now, children. It's time for bed," he told them. The older two ran into the room and snuggled on the bed whilst the blond placed the sleeping one in his arm in their crib.

"I love you," he whispered into the room, as the children settled down for sleep. As he exited the room, he ran into his husband and smiled into the kiss that was pressed to his lips. The two went into their room and settled down for the night, the blond leaning up against the raven. Sasuke was feeling content with life, relishing in the feeling of a family.

And they all lived happily ever after.

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><p><strong>BOOM! Fairy tale X3 I loved doing that XD I've always wanted to start a FanFic with 'once upon a time' but never found the opportunity to without it sounding corny and putting people off- I mean, you know a story is badass when it starts with 'once upon a time'!<strong>

**Anyways, I need more words, people! More words! **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this, and I'll see you next time I update :3**

**~This fic is sponsored by your reviews.**


	11. Superheroes

**Author's Note:** Haha, over one-tenth of the way! I know it's not a big milestone, but I'm actually surprised I'm sticking with this- usually I give up easily XD Well, a little piece of news- I got accepted onto my chosen course at college :3 Level 3 Creative Media Studies XD I'm so happy :D But yeah, another prompt one here from Juura99 who requested 'Superheroes' with some Kiba-Naruto friendship XD Which should be pretty easy since I've been doing quite a bit for 'Possessed' (Shh!)

**Warnings:** Evil villains! SasuNaru, obviously some swearing, violence and do I have to warn you about KibaHina? Hmm… debatable.

**Disclaimer:** I can't wait to see Sasuke in tights and a mask! Wait, I don't own them? Damn! That fantasy shall have to wait! Until then, Masashi Kishimoto owns all!

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><p><strong><span>Superheroes<span>**

Naruto was pissed off.

No, wait, let's start this again.

Naruto was fucking pissed off to hell! There he had been, attending one of his father's annual parties, when some crazy gunman decides to break through the defences, fire everywhere, and on top of that, capture him for ransom.

Yeah, it's not exactly been his ideal evening.

"Go to the party, he said. It'll be fun, he said," Naruto muttered, not at all pleased with the fact a pistol was now being pressed to his head.

"Shut it, pretty boy!" the gunman snapped, making the blond writhe in fury.

"You call me pretty again and I'll fucking tear your dick from your body and force it down your throat," Naruto snarled, not at all appreciative of the comment. He'd been teased in high school because of his feminine apparel, so he didn't exactly need it when he was supposed to be twenty-one and a grown, masculine man. Soon enough, the feeling of something heavy and metal colliding with his temple overtook anything, and he was sent into shock.

'_Those bastards!_´ he internally raged, wanting nothing more than to just escape, go to his okay-flat and snuggle down in front of the telly with blankets, a bowl of ramen and his collection of 'Supernatural' DVDs. He inwardly wept at the idiotic decision to go to the party that his father had hosted.

"How much ransom did you ask for?" Naruto asked his captor, figuring that he could at least keep a conversation going. Warily, the man answered him, lowering the weapon.

"Twenty-thousand," he replied levelly, and Naruto's jaw dropped.

"My dad is a millionaire, and you ask for _twenty-thousand_?_!_" he squeaked. The captor looked at him strangely, wondering why the blond was upset.

"Am I not worth more than that? Do you really think I'm that worthless? Hey, why not capture the Uchiha boy? His family is richer than mine is after all! Maybe you'd get a better ransom than _twenty-thousand_! After all, he is prettier than I am- always was, the fucking teme. Always popular with the girls," Naruto sniffed and raged, making the captor reconsider the sanity of the blond. He was also wondering why the boy's father was having such difficulty deciding whether to take the ransom. Did he not love his son? As the blond had pointed out, it would be much of a dent in their finances, yet the man was a taking a while to reply to the ransom phone call they'd made. His answer came when the window above him shattered an in flew a man with duck-butt raven hair, a wolf mask, dressed in the most- in Naruto's opinion- ridiculous outfit _ever_! Naruto gawped as the man punched one of his captor's henchmen clear across the room before making his way over to Naruto.

The blond's heart sank as he realised what was happening.

"No way," he breathed when the man was now in front of him and going to untie him. The man- obviously the town's superhero- had a smug aura around him.

"Don't mention it," he bragged as he untied the blond, ignoring the man behind him who was crawling for a control panel. Naruto growled when he was untied and the man went to grab him. The blond folded his arms across his chest and the raven stilled, making the blond wonder what expression he was wearing.

"No," Naruto stated clearly, making the tall man lean back.

"What?" he asked, obviously annoyed, wanting to clarify what the blond had just said.

"I'm not some damsel for you to help! Get the fuck out- I can rescue myself!" the blond told him, still not moving. The man, however, was having none of this and just grabbed the blond around his middle, making him yell in surprise and grab the back of the chair that was for some reason, bolted to the floor.

"No means no, jerk! Let me go!" he yelled as the raven tried to pull him away from the chair and fly off and give the blond back to his father.

"Idiot! Let go of the fucking chair! Your father wants you back, so let the fuck go!" he yelled. Naruto wasn't having any of it, and just clung on tighter, his legs in the air as the raven tried to fly away.

"NO!" he screamed. Any harsh retort that the superhero had was drowned out by a large mechanical voice.

"Self-destruct sequence initiated. Self-destruct in ten, nine, eight-"

"DOBE! LET GO!" the raven yelled, the shock making the blond's grip go slack and he managed to pull the blond away from the exploding hanger with two seconds to spare.

As they landed outside the blond's apartment, an instant argument erupted.

"You jerk! Why did you rescue me?_!_ I could've gotten out of there myself!" Naruto roared, shoving the man, but it having no effect. The man under the mask growled at the attempt but bit back his retort.

"Idiot! Your father called me to tell me and I can't exactly refuse, can I?" he yelled back, pushing the blond against the wall.

"So you're society's bitch, is that it? You come at their beck and call?" Naruto snarled, making the raven wince before he punched the blond straight in the jaw. Naruto's head snapped to the side, but he refused to admit how much it had hurt, even when blood started to drip from his mouth.

"_Never_ say that again," the raven hissed in a dangerous voice, almost making the blond flinch.

"You're a fucking idiot, Sasuke," he muttered, making the superhero freeze. Naruto turned back to the raven and pulled the mask off, revealing a stunned Uchiha.

"How did you-"

"That stupid, bloody hairstyle, your voice, and most importantly, your eyes," he told the raven.

"I grew up with you, and you think I won't recognise you because you hide your face?" Naruto snorted, shoving the raven's chest playfully before wiping his chin free of blood, making onyx eyes dart to the now bruised skin. A pale hand went out to touch it before he was stopped with a tan hand around his wrist.

"Go home, Sasuke. And if you ever save me again, I'll kick your ass," he muttered, entering his apartment, leaving a stunned raven outside. As soon as he entered, he was tackled to the floor.

"Dude! Dude! Guess what happened today?" Naruto blinked from his position on the floor, bundled by his best friend and roommate, Kiba Inuzuka. He smiled slightly at his friend.

"They finally gave equal rights for dog-human marriages?" he teased, making Kiba snort and smack his shoulder.

"Jerk! No, Hinata agreed to go on a date with me!" he exclaimed, a love-drunk look overtaking his face, making Naruto chuckle.

"Congrats, dude! I wish her luck," he smirked, making Kiba freeze in contemplation. He sat up and helped the blond up, only to punch his shoulder.

"Your love never ceases to amaze me," he told the blond, who just rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth once more, only just making Kiba realise that he was bleeding.

"Holy shit dude, what happened to your face?" he asked aghast, making Naruto grin.

"You sure know how to make a guy feel special," Naruto joked, making Kiba frown.

"Don't try to spread your gay shit onto me- but no, seriously- what happened?" Kiba asked, a concerned look adorning his face. Naruto just smiled gently, making his way to the bathroom to check himself out in the mirror.

"I just had an argument with Sasuke," he told the brunet, who leant against the doorframe, arms across his chest, a frown on his face.

"He really pulled his punch, huh?" he told the blond, who was gently washing away the blood with his flannel. Blue eyes locked with brown in the mirror, and the blond smiled warmly.

"Kiba, don't worry- I'm fine," told the brunet, who worriedly chewed on his lower lip.

"Y'know, I never thought that you'd gotten over the break-up," Kiba told the blond, who froze, looking into the basin.

"He cheated on me, Kiba. I was more than over it," Naruto spat, making Kiba's eyes widen, but then soften with sadness.

"No, you're not. You're not as quiet at night as you used to be; crying, screaming, and calling out his name. Not to mention when-" Kiba cut off when he heard a smashing sound and looked to the mirror to see the blond's fist embedded, blood trickling from the crack.

"Shut up," he whispered hoarsely, and Kiba could work out, just from the voice, that there would be tears in his eyes. He sighed roughly and approached the blond, taking his cut fist away from the mirror and leading him to sit on the toilet seat whilst he bandaged his hand.

"Don't worry about the jerk, Naru."

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><p>Red eyes surveyed the scene before him- the strobe lights of police cars were flashing around the area, and he sighed monotonously. He had been doing this job for three years now- but he couldn't abandon the town he was fighting for. Right now, there was a bank robbery, and he had been called in to take care of the situation. With a deep sigh, he jumped from the building he was currently residing on top of and landed gently next to Jiraiya, the chief of police.<p>

"What's the situation?" he asked the man, who jumped at his presence.

"Sharingan! I was wondering when you'd get here!" Jiraiya exclaimed, making the raven roll his eyes.

"I got stuck in traffic," he joked dryly, making the man chuckle.

"Bat-mobile not good enough?" the man asked, making the raven snort.

"Yeah- all the petrol prices- let me tell ya," they continued, until eventually Jiraiya grew serious.

"Obviously a bank robbery. There are two gunmen in there." Jiraiya relayed, making the raven nod.

"Hostages?" the superhero asked, analysing the front entrance. Jiraiya swallowed at that.

"Confirmed hostages- one of them is my godson," Jiraiya told the raven, wondering if he imagined the widening of the crimson eyes.

"I'll be done in five minutes," he told the officer, who's eyes widened as the man strutted to the door and ripped it from its hinges.

Inside the building, Naruto was sat with a group of other people. They had had their wrists tied together and then all forced to sit in a corner, but that didn't faze the blond- he'd been in a hostage situation before- what fazed him was that there were children with their parents with them. Hastily, the blond thought about his own misfortune.

'_Go to the bank, he said. We need money for drinks, he said! Fucking asshole, Kiba!' _he thought bitterly to himself, before the sound of loosening ropes caught his attention. His head snapped up, seeing that a woman with pink hair had been snatched from the group, a gun pressed to her temple as the door was ripped from its hinges. The blond was momentarily distracted by the entrance and felt his heart throb painfully when he saw who it was. Not one to be saved, the blond started to try and free his wrists from the rope. Everybody had frozen upon Sasuke's entry, not knowing what to do, until one of the accomplices pulled out his pistol and pointed it to the superhero.

"Take one step and I'll shoot your pretty little mask off, as well as this pretty little woman's head," he snarled, playing at the weakness of the fact that superheroes preferred their identity to remain secret and the fact that no superhero wanted a civilian to die on their rescue missions. Sasuke was at a loss of what to do, and secretly snuck a glance to the blond who looked concentrated on something, and with a jolt, Sasuke realised that he was trying to escape. He didn't know what to do. He was fast, but he guaranteed that if he disappeared to reappear behind them, that they'd have no qualms about shooting the woman in the head, and that was bad. It wasn't until there was yell of surprise that Sasuke was able to make his move.

During the Uchiha's mental workout, Naruto had managed to slip free of his ropes and dive onto one of the gunmen, successfully causing a distraction. A few gunshots were fired at the blond's direction, but Sasuke had to work fast, successfully rescuing the pink-haired woman, shoving her towards the exit, along with all the other hostages. He turned towards the blond, who was managing to fight off the two men with a bandaged fist. He was about to approach the blond when he was flung back by an invisible force.

"Sasuke, get the _fuck_ outta here! I got this!" Naruto roared to the raven, turning to show him blood-red eyes. Sasuke froze in his tracks, own eyes wide. Not only had the young man shouted his name, but he… he…

He was a superhero!

It was this momentary distraction that caused him to have shot attack his shoulder and- even though it didn't leave a mark or hurt him in any way-, it sent Naruto into a frenzy, making him punch the man in the face, knocking him out. The blond then froze as he felt a muzzle pressed to the back of his head. Even though he had powers, he wasn't invincible like others. Panic flared in his chest but was then stunted when he realised that it was going to be the end. He wouldn't have to worry about anything. Sure, Kiba and his father would be sad, but that was it. He closed his eyes, making them return to their normal blue colour and he looked to Sasuke, smiling slightly. It was that small action that pumped so much adrenaline into Sasuke's veins, that in the next second, he was behind the gunman, arm around his throat and pulling him back before knocking him out with a fist to his temple. Naruto had collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily from what he'd just done; and the shock of nearly dying. Sasuke let go of the man and rushed over to the blond, who was still panting.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sasuke cursed, gently grabbing the blond's chin and tilting his head to look into glazed blue eyes.

"N-not… an..i-idiot," he gasped, before collapsing forward onto the raven's shoulder, breathing deeply.

"Mm…tired," he breathed, closing his eyes and inhaling Sasuke's scent. The raven's arm gently came to hug the blond closer and rock him slightly, before he lifted his mask and pressed a kiss to the blond's temple.

"Idiot," he smirked, sliding his mask back down as the police rushed into the area, ready for the clean-up.

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><p>When Naruto woke up, it was to a white ceiling and a relieved sigh.<p>

"Thank fuck! I thought you'd never wake up!" Kiba's voice echoed throughout the room, making Naruto grin and turn to the left to see the owner of the voice with a relieved smile on his face.

"How ya doin', Foxy?" he asked, lightly punching the blond's shoulder.

"Piss off, Kiba," he replied with a smirk, earning a tongue in his face. Naruto's face contorted in an expression of disgust.

"Ew, dog-breath!" he complained, making Kiba gasp.

"I'm hurt! But hey, stop ignoring your other guest!" he told the blond, pointing to the blond's right. Dreading to see who it was, Naruto turned, only to want to bail from the window when he saw who it was.

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered in greeting, meeting blue eyes with his own onyx. Naruto swallowed a few times, not liking the situation he was in.

"I'm gunna go see if they've got any coffee," Kiba told his friend, patting his shoulder as he left. Naruto silently vowed to kill his friend when he got back… maybe drowning him in his coffee would be suitable…

"Naruto, what happened back there?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know how his friend had managed to gain such powers. Naruto folded his arms across his chest and faced the other way. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"So you're not going to talk to me? Mature," he mused out loud. However, only one question could run through Naruto's mind.

"Why?" he asked quietly. Sasuke frowned.

"What do you mean by 'why'?" he asked in reply. Naruto huffed, meeting the onyx eyes by choice for the first time in almost four years.

"'Why' everything! Why did you do it? Why didn't you tell me when we were together? Why do you care so much? Why are constantly trying to be in my life? Why do you want to know? WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?" he ended up yelling, the sting of tears making their presence known. Sasuke sighed heavily- obviously, Naruto wasn't over their break-up from four years previously, but the raven couldn't blame him.

"I was drunk at the party, Naruto, and I didn't cheat by my own want. I tried to explain this, but you left so fast. I didn't tell you about my powers because I was afraid you'd think I was a nutcase and leave me. And I think the last questions have an obvious answer to them," Sasuke muttered, looking directly into the blond's eyes, and he felt a slap across his cheek.

"How can you say that," he whispered in a deadly voice. Although the slap didn't affect the raven, he still felt hurt that Naruto didn't believe him.

"What can I do to make you believe me?" he whispered in return, taking the hand that had crossed his cheek not moments earlier. A few tears slipped from the blue eyes and the blond took a shuddering breath before pulling the raven into a crushing head.

"If you ever leave, I will fucking kill you," he whispered into the raven's ear before burying his head into the crook of the pale neck. Sasuke let out a sigh of relief and tightened his hold.

"Never," he replied, pressing a light kiss into the blond's hair, finally relieved that misunderstandings had been cleared up. It was then that something made Sasuke frown in question.

"Naruto, how did you get your powers?" he asked curiously, making the blond tense.

"It's a long story," he muttered, not wanting to speak for so long when he was both physically and emotionally exhausted. Sasuke seemed to understand as he just shushed the blond, and stroked his back comfortingly.

"Well, we'll have a long time from now on," he smiled gently, taking in the scent of the blond, finally relaxed for the first time in a while.

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><p><strong>I don't know why, but I cut this one a bit short : Kill me later- I need to get started on another one! Also, I'm giving up on looking for the list, so this story now relies totally on you viewers!**

**If you don't want to review me a prompt, but would like to see something in here, PM me! I won't bite! But still- if I don't get any prompts, you're left with **_**my**_ **imagination, which, as well all know, is really angsty!**

**So! Where I'm starting a full-time college course, I may not be able to upload as much, but I **_**will**_ **upload at least once a week! Just not as frequently as I have been these last couple of weeks. Once a week sounds good though, right?**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one- this prompt was from Juura99, so thank her for another chapter XD**

**~This fic is **_**made**_** by your prompt requests ;3**


	12. Overcoming Obstacles

**Author's Note:** I FOUND THE LIST! :D Along with my scientific calculator instructions that I haven't seen in five years- but hey, who's counting that? Anyways, just to let you know, I am still taking requests! Kenny-chan, yours is next, and after that, Juura, you'll get your 'Art'… fufufu… I like the plans I've made for both =w= But this is one from my list! I hope you enjoy it :3

**Warnings:** Yaoi, mentions of SasuSaku, angst :/, and swearing. Spoilers for Season 7 Supernatural… just sayin'.

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own any 'Naruto' characters. Nor do I own 'Bobby'… I'm sorry, let me have a minute (TT_TT)

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><p><strong><span>Overcoming Obstacles<span>**

Uchiha Sasuke sighed in aggravation once more as his wife yelled at him, accusing him of cheating. He had gone beyond caring about what she yelled at him, he knew he was innocent and that she was just spewing drunken nonsense from her mouth; rumours that her best friend had obviously started to spread. A glass of tequila was in one hand, a high danger of it spilling onto the fresh, crystal-white carpet. Sasuke didn't like stains, and this woman was becoming one on his reputation, so he decided to ignore her shouting, the screams of 'where do you think you're going?' and go up to their room and shove his duffle bag with clothes and necessary provisions for a few days.

"SASUKE! Where are you going?_!_" the pink-haired woman yelled once more, close to tears. Sasuke turned to her, a tired look in his eyes.

"I'm going to stay with Naruto for a few days- until you're not drunk off your face," he told her, walking out of the door, leaving an angry and stunned wife behind.

Outside in the cool air, Sasuke felt more refreshed and awake- he could still hear his wife screaming up a storm, smashing something like glass- probably the top off the next bottle of tequila- but he ignored the implications and entered his car, throwing the bag into the backseat and pulling out of his drive. As he sped down the highway, he couldn't help but reflect on how badly this relationship was going. He was willing to try and fix it- for his family's sake- but Sakura was making it so hard, what with Ino telling her nonsense, which just gave them more troubles than they needed. Lately, Sasuke was finding himself staying at his best friend's- Naruto's- flat for the evening on increasing intervals. However, the blond-haired friend knew what was going on, and never refused the raven entry when he turned up- no matter the state, or lateness of the hour. With that calming thought in mind, Sasuke just continued to drive towards the place he knew his best friend to be.

* * *

><p>As soon as the rumble of the V8 engine was heard, Naruto knew who had come to visit him at such a late hour. He sighed- pausing his television programme- and sat up from the sofa, grimacing when his head felt as though it was going to split in two. Nevertheless, he made his way to the door and opened it, just as Sasuke was about to knock, fist rose in the air, duffle bag slung over his shoulder.<p>

"Hn, dobe," Sasuke greeted, making Naruto smile and step aside, letting in his best friend.

"How long are you here for this time then, teme?" the blond asked, going over to his kitchen to pull out two glasses. The first he filled with water for himself -placing two Paracetamol beside it- the second was filled with a beer from the fridge with a dash of lime cordial. After dumping his things on his usual guest bed, Sasuke walked into the kitchen, taking the pint of beer and sipping it.

"A few days if that's okay?" he told the blond, who nodded, taking the Paracetamol and downing the water with a grimace. Sasuke frowned and looked to the blond.

"More headaches, dobe?" he asked, a little bit of concern tinting his voice. Naruto nodded and made his way back to the sofa and un-paused his television programme, dumping his feet on top of Sasuke's legs as the raven sat down.

"The doctor just said to keep on drinking lots of fluids- apparently I keep on dehydrating myself," he frowned, eyes widening in reaction to what was happening on the show.

"Dude, I'm never going to be able to trust a sandwich again," he commented as he watched the meat ooze a grey gloop on the screen. Sasuke smirked, shoving the blond's feet off of his legs and putting his own up on the sofa, so that they had half each.

"So what happened this time?" Naruto asked, still engrossed with the programme, but still able to listen to his best friend. Sasuke sighed and looked to the blond, wondering how on earth he hadn't become tired with Sasuke already. In Sasuke's mind, he really was the best friend anybody could ask for.

"She's accusing me of cheating again," he told the blond, taking another sip of his beer and placing it on the coffee table in front of him. Naruto hummed.

"Did you cheat on her?" Naruto asked, wincing when the man on the programme had started to eat himself. Sasuke blinked and turned to his friend.

"No, I didn't. Ino's been spreading rumours again- seeing as when I was allegedly 'cheating' I was having a Harry Potter marathon with you," he told the blond, who nodded in return.

"I just had to make sure- also, when are we having the Horror film marathon?" he asked, leaning further into the pillows and chuckling slightly along with the television programme. Sasuke blinked and turned to the blond.

"Are you okay, Naruto? You seem a bit out of it," he commented, leaning towards the blond, who had a confused look on his face.

"I'm fine, Sasuke. We could start the marathon after this episode finishes?" he asked the raven, who frowned and leant forward, pressing his hand to the tan forehead, frowning when it felt a little warmer than usual.

"You're warm, dobe," Sasuke told the blond, who shrugged.

"Then seeing as you're not watching this, you can go get me a cool flannel, yeah?" he asked the raven, who nodded and went out the room to get such an item. Naruto sighed and glanced to the letter that was innocently lying on the table in the middle. Deciding to ignore it, he just went back to watching his programme, eyes widening as the finale appeared. Sasuke entered the room with a cool flannel to see the blond in near tears as he stared at the screen that was now rolling the credits. Sasuke sighed, assuming that one of the blond's favourite characters had been killed off- the producer of the show did have a habit of doing that- and approached the blond with the flannel.

"Dobe, what did Kripke do this time?" he asked, placing the cool flannel to the warm forehead.

"H-He killed Bobby!" he whispered, and Sasuke froze. He was one of the characters that Sasuke actually liked.

"Fucking asshole," Sasuke muttered, applying some pressure, making the blond close his eyes and hum in content. Sasuke's eyes were then drawn to the blond, how he looked so content and innocent.

"What do you think I should do?" Sasuke muttered, making Naruto snap his eyes open and stare at his friend.

"You've tried talking to her, right? All I can think of is to actually show her that you're not cheating. If you want I'll come over and tell her what we were doing that night?" he asked the raven with a slurred voice, obviously tired. Sasuke's eyes snapped wide, and he stared at the blond in shock.

"No. I don't want you getting involved with her," he told the blond, who frowned.

"Why not? It's just Sakura-chan," he told the raven, a little more alert. Sasuke winced at the title Naruto had given his wife- he obviously hadn't been talking to Sakura for the last few months, otherwise he would've known.

"She's come to resent you," Sasuke told the blond, who was now wide-awake, a hurt look overtaking his features.

"Wh-what? Why?" he asked the raven, emotion straining his voice. It was then that Sasuke felt bad.

"She thinks you're trying to take me away from her- that coupled with the fact that Ino's telling her I'm cheating, she might think I'm cheating on her with you, and I don't think seeing you will improve her mood," he told the blond honestly, who looked away, an embarrassed flush spiking his features.

"Hn," was the only reply the raven was given, to which he smiled gently at, poking the blond on the cheek.

"Dobe, that's my reply," he softly told the blond, who still frowned and shifted, making the cool flannel slip from his forehead. Sasuke moved the flannel back up to the forehead, when a hand caught his wrist. His eyes widened when he saw Naruto looking at him with such an intense look of despair, it almost broke his heart.

"Did she break your heart?" he mumbled to the raven, who swallowed slightly.

"Wh-what?" Sasuke asked in reply, clearly confused.

"Sakura-chan, when she said she didn't like me, and when she started to yell at you. Did she break your heart?" he asked again, wanting clarification. Sasuke blinked not knowing what to say.

"N-no, she didn't," he eventually told the blond, who released his wrist and went silent, not looking at the raven, but rather at the sofa cushions.

"Oh, okay then," he mumbled, sitting up on the sofa, letting the flannel drop to the floor as he made his way to his bedroom.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," he mumbled, closing the door behind him, leaving a stunned Sasuke sitting on the sofa, wondering what had happened. Shaking his head, he managed to snap himself out of his stupor, only for his eye to catch the letter on the coffee table. He frowned and leant forward, picking it up and noticing the stamp in the top right corner- it had come from his doctor. In addition, stamped on the side was the word 'PRIVATE' in bold, red letters. Curious, the raven flipped the tab open and pulled out the contents, only for it to be snatched out of his hands before he could have a chance to peek at what was written.

"Teme- hasn't anybody told you it's rude to go through other people's mail?" Naruto scolded the raven, who swallowed.

"I was just concerned- and I thought you'd gone to bed?" Sasuke asked, eyeing the blond, who was looking a little flushed and sweaty.

"I knew you'd go snooping- this letter is private, Sasuke," Naruto told the raven, swaying a bit on the spot, making Sasuke worry slightly.

"Dobe, sit down- I'll go get you a glass of water," he told the blond, who stumbled dangerously, almost fainting before a pair of strong arms caught his shoulders and held him up.

"Whoa! Here, I got you," Sasuke comforted his dizzy friend, leading him over to the sofa and once again feeling the blond's forehead, which was still only slightly warm. Panicking- for the blond didn't usually have such fainting spells- Sasuke instantly turned into the doctor he was trained to be. The blue eyes had slipped closed, and Sasuke had to tap the sickly pale cheek to keep him awake.

"Dobe, can you hear me?" the raven asked, earning a tiny nod in reply. Sasuke sighed slightly in relief before he stood up, letting go of the blond's shoulders.

"Okay, I'm going to shine a light in your eyes to see if your pupils are reacting properly to the light," he told the blond, as if he were one of his patients at the hospital- this earned him a breathless snort.

"Teme, I'm not an idiot- I know the procedures," he told the raven, who just sighed in return and pulled a small torch from his pocket and shined it in the blond's eyes, gnawing at his bottom lip in worry when they weren't properly dilating.

"Dobe, how much have you had to drink today?" he asked, earning a groan in reply.

"No, I don't want any more water- I'm sick of it!" the blond whined, grabbing the raven's hand and pulling it close to his chest so that Sasuke could feel how rapidly the heart was beating, making onyx eyes widen.

"I'm sick of water, sick of hospitals! Why can't I just be healthy?" he asked the raven, who seemed to be helpless at answering the questions presented to him.

"What was said in that letter, Naruto?" the raven wanted to know what had been said to make the blond so upset. A pleading look overtook the blue irises and he clenched the pale hand in his own tighter, as if he didn't want to part with it.

"I didn't want you to know," he gasped, tears coming to his eyes, and Sasuke blinked, not knowing how to deal with Naruto this way. The blond had always seemed so strong to him, never once showing any sort of weakness. That's when it occurred to him- the fact that Naruto had put on such a straight face when something was so obviously wrong. Sasuke felt guilty for not realising it sooner, and just clenched the hand back.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he told the blond, who squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears away.

"Damn teme," he muttered, chuckling weakly, still not letting go of the hand. Sasuke snorted lightly and sat down next to the blond, moving their joined hands to sit between them.

"I need my hand to go get you a drink, dobe," Sasuke gently told the blond, who winced.

"No more water!" he complained, making the raven chuckle.

"How about some orange juice then?" he asked the blond, who sighed and nodded, bringing the cool, pale hand to his forehead and leaning against it, sighing in relief. Sasuke was a little lost at the action, not knowing how to feel. The light fluttering in his stomach was confusing, so he decided to ignore it, but he couldn't ignore the small smile on his face that appeared as he went to collect the juice for his dobe.

When he arrived back, it was to see Naruto tightly clenching the envelope in his hands, creasing it slightly. He sighed and walked over to the blond, placing the glass of orange juice on the coffee table and prying the letter from the blond's hands.

"Dobe, you'll only worry yourself," he told his friend, who nodded, and accepted the glass that was passed to him and taking a sip, shuddering at the fact he was still drinking.

"Do you want to talk about it?" surprisingly, Naruto had asked the question, earning a choking sound from the raven as the beer he had sipped went down the wrong way. Naruto's eyes widened and he thumped his friend on the back with far too much energy for a sick person, making the raven feel a little better.

"Is it seriously that bad?" Naruto asked, frowning at the raven, whose eyes were watering from choking on the beer.

"I don't know- is it?" he asked the blond, who frowned, and then his mouth formed a silent 'o' as he understood.

"I'm not talking about talking about me, Sasuke- I'm talking about talking what's going on with you and Sakura," Naruto elaborated, waving his hands around for clarification, making the raven wince.

"To be honest, all we ever do nowadays is argue," he told his friend, who nodded in an understanding manner, showing that he was listening.

"She never believes me when I tell her where I'm going and she just doesn't listen to me anymore- to be honest, I'd be surprised if she actually loves me anymore," he muttered, taking a long draught from his drink, missing the way Naruto seemed to flinch and grip his head in a slight bit of pain.

"I mean, I have to work late at work, she accuses me of cheating! I talk to my mother, she thinks I'm cheating- hell, if I even _wave_ to another person she thinks I'm lying about who I've been seeing!" he ranted, starting to get a bit angry, not noticing the way how Naruto's fists had started to clench on his lap.

"She goes through my phone and computer, and thinks I'm getting it on with my secretary when I get an e-mail about a project! And she has the gall to accuse me of cheating when I _know_ she's been fooling about with Rock Lee! That whore!" Sasuke hissed, now becoming more and more angry, turning to face the object of his listening, freezing when he saw that the blond was looking upset.

"If it bothers you that much listening, why did you ask?" he snapped, still angry and now a bit upset that he was making his friend angry whilst slagging off his wife.

"It's not that- it's just-"

"You want to get in her pants as well," Sasuke hissed, making the blond flinch and look up.

"Why would I do that?_!_ I'm pissed off that she's making you so unhappy! I thought that you'd be happy together! That's why I backed off!" Naruto stressed, now standing, swaying a little, making the raven's anger ebb away as he stood also, grabbing the blond by the shoulders.

"Sit down, dobe- you'll hurt yourself," he muttered, steering his friend back onto the sofa.

"This was a mistake," Naruto muttered, earning a curious look from the raven.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked unsurely, a feeling of dread and rejection settling in his stomach at the thought of the blond kicking him out. Naruto shook his head, however, making the raven confused.

"Read the letter- it should give you the understanding that you need," Naruto told his friend, making Sasuke look at him with confusion as he took the letter from inside the envelope. He looked to Naruto, hoping that his expression would tell him, but all he saw was the top of the blond's head as he stared down into his lap, fiddling with his hands.

As Sasuke read further and further into the letter, he was starting to go into denial. It seemed impossible to him that this could've been wrong with the blond- out of the time he had known him; he'd never seemed to have any issues. That's when Sasuke blanched. Naruto had always listened to Sasuke, always leant a helping hand- but Sasuke hadn't done anything of the sort in return. The one word just rang about his mind, not giving him a rest.

Depression.

Sasuke swallowed and looked to the blond, as if seeing him for the first time, making a small, vulnerable look appear on his face. Sasuke sighed and placed the letter back down on the coffee table, completely ignoring the flinch as he sat down and brought the blond in for a hug. Personally, the raven was still partially shaken at what he'd just read- not knowing this fact about his best friend.

"I'm so sorry that I never helped," he whispered to the blond, who just hugged the raven in return.

"Why are you saying sorry? It's not your fault," Naruto told the raven, not wanting to let go of the small comfort he had.

"So the headaches… what happened?" Sasuke murmured into the blond's ear, noticing the way the blond held him tighter.

"I-I tried to overdose a few weeks ago," Naruto whispered shamefully, not wanting to see the disappointed look on his friend's face. He was quite shocked however, when the raven just pulled him closer, and he could feel the way the arms around his body started to shake.

"Dammit Naru, you're such an idiot!" Sasuke breathed in a shaky voice, making Naruto flinch and try to pull away, only for it to be impossible as Sasuke tightened his hold.

"Sasuke, I need to get to sleep," Naruto told the raven, who reluctantly let go, but followed him to his room anyways, making the blond freeze.

"I don't need a babysitter," the blond hissed, feeling ashamed that Sasuke thought he couldn't be left alone. Yet Sasuke still didn't move from the doorway, just taking off his clothes along with the blond, eventually leaving him in just his underwear. Naruto froze when Sasuke sat on the side of his bed, waiting for the blond to enter before he did. Slightly annoyed, Naruto narrowed his eyes at the raven, wondering what he was doing.

"Teme, I'm not going to off myself whilst you sleep," he told his friend, who just shot him a look, making the blond freeze in his tracks, before sighing and entering the bed, followed by the raven.

"As much as you'd like to believe otherwise, you need comfort, dobe," Sasuke muttered, facing the tired blond after he'd tucked himself under the duvet. Naruto just hummed, leaning over to turn the bedroom lamp off, bathing the room in semi-darkness. Despite the darkness, Naruto's eyes still seemed to stand out, making the raven smile slightly.

"Can I ask why?" Sasuke quizzed, noticing the way the blond seemed to fidget under the blankets, so Sasuke snuck his hand to gently take hold of the warm, tan arm. An internal debate flickered through the eyes and mind of the blond, weighing out the pros and cons of telling his friend what was going on.

"I- I just... the thing is…" Naruto was finding it hard to tell his friend, but he knew it was hurting the raven even more by how he was keeping it a secret.

"I've just been feeling really down, e-ever since J-Jiraiya died," he stuttered, still upset at the cruel fate that had decided to take his great uncle away from him, and he felt the raven shift closer, his hand started to rub soothing motions on his arm.

"A-and then I'm told that the person responsible isn't being punished. Plus that and my landlord is threatening to evict me; my boss is considering firing me! Kyuubi gets hit by a car- Iruka's diagnosed with cancer- Sakura hates me and barely any of my friend's- apart from you- talk to me. Kiba moves away, Konohamaru moves out, leaving me alone. My neighbours give me shit for no reason- I'm told to go off myself by half of my customers- then there's the fact that you-" and at that point he cut off, finding it difficult to breathe properly through the stuffiness of his closed up throat, and the tears running down his face.

"Is any of it worth it?" he asked the raven, desperately wanting answers. Sasuke had just frozen, hearing the blond just rant, as he had done minutes before. He blinked slowly, wondering what it was about him that had the blond so upset. However, he decided to let it go for the moment and just shift closer to his friend, placing a comforting hand on his cheek and wiping away the tears.

"Of course it's worth it. You're just in a difficult place at the moment. Pretty soon, things will get better- you just have to wait," Sasuke whispered, leaning in closer and pressing a soft kiss to the blond's forehead- not realising that it just made the blond even more upset- and pulled him into his arms.

"It'll all be okay," he whispered, not knowing how much the blond had wanted to hear those words. Exhausted, the blond dropped off, listening to the beating of the heart by his ear. Sasuke just sighed, feeling the even breaths on his bare chest and smiling slightly when the blond shuffled closer to him and snuggled his head into the crook of his neck. Eventually, the raven dropped off beside him.

* * *

><p>When Sasuke awoke, it was to a wet feeling on his arm, and -recalling the conversation from the night before- instantly flew into a panic, thinking that Naruto had purposely hurt himself. His eyes snapped open, only to see that Naruto was drooling in his sleep, hair mussed up and pyjamas askew. Sasuke sighed in relief, calming himself down as realised that- after their conversation- Naruto had seemed somewhat calm, but he was still wondering why the blond was upset by him. He shrugged it off, thinking that instead of talking about what had made him so upset, that he should keep him occupied. Sasuke waited impatiently for a few more minutes before he finally grew bored and poked the blond awake.<p>

"Dobe," he sternly told the blond, who whined and just snuggled closer, mumbling 'five more minutes', which made Sasuke smile. He gently took hold of Naruto's cheeks and stroked along the whisker marks.

"Dobe, if you don't get up, I'll just have to not make you any ramen," he whispered, noticing how the blond seemed to hum in content when he'd started rubbing the cheeks and pressing himself further into the hand.

"Mm- don't care," the blond muttered, smiling slightly, his own hand reaching out to land gently on the pale neck before him. It was then that Sasuke's stomach decided to take a million butterflies hostage as he gazed at his sleepy best friend. The tan fingers then traced the jawline that was slightly rough with stubble before sliding into the soft raven locks. Sasuke then briefly realised that he shouldn't have been enjoying the attention as much as he did; he had a wife, and this was his best, _male_ friend he was doing this with. Still, he didn't move away from the blond, just moved closer, basking in the warmth the pyjama-clad man presented him.

"What about the Horror film marathon we had planned?" he told the blond, who frowned.

"I just wanna stay like this for a while," he mumbled, taking his hand from the soft hair and tracing it back down to the jawline, then the neck, finally resting it against the pale chest, right above his heart. Sasuke frowned as the blond's face took on a serious look.

"Still not broken," he muttered, a frown taking over his features, making Sasuke smirk, not that the blond could see it.

"Maybe it's because I wasn't really in love," he told the blond, making the blue eyes snap open to regard the onyx before him, searching for something that the raven wasn't sure about.

"Then why are you with her?" Naruto asked, confused at the statement, and Sasuke sighed.

"Things haven't been right for a while- I'm merely staying with her because my parents like the fact I'm married," Sasuke truthfully told the blond, who swallowed nervously, looking a tad guilty.

"If you don't love your partner, is any of it worth it?" the blond mumbled, perking the interest of the raven- the words sounding familiar. Sasuke sighed and the blond had closed his eyes again, partially enjoying the darkness with just the feel of the raven under his fingertips, the heartbeat pulsing against his fingers.

"We're going to be filing for a divorce soon anyway. As soon as our business contract is up, the marriage will end also," Sasuke stated, looking into the distance, past the blond head of hair. A hand grabbed his own, and he looked down to Naruto, who still had his eyes closed.

"How long?" he mumbled, making the raven feel at ease.

"Two weeks," he replied, making the blond nod in reply and slowly open his eyes.

"Will you be happy?" Naruto asked, an innocent questioning swimming in his eyes, and the raven nodded.

"Ecstatic," he replied, making the blond smile and sigh.

"Good- I don't like seeing you upset," he replied, smiling and moving closer to the raven, who had a hard time keeping the smile off his face.

"I could say the same thing to you- why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke asked, making the smile drop from the blond's face. Sasuke took the silence as a bad thing, so instead diverted the topic of conversation.

"Are you feeling better? Any headaches?" Sasuke asked, earning a shake of the head in reply and Sasuke sighed in relief.

"Well, that's a good thing," he stated, carding his fingers through the blond's hair, making the tan lids flutter closed at the feeling.

"You up for the Horror film marathon now?" Sasuke asked, being answered with a small nod.

"I'm bringing in the quilt, though. It's nice and warm," the blond sighed, making the raven roll his eyes.

"Of course, dobe. And I'm guessing you want me to make you some ramen and a cup of tea whilst I'm at it?" he asked sarcastically, instantly regretting it when Naruto turned to him with puppy-dog eyes on display.

"Would you?" he asked, almost begging, making the raven sigh and cave in.

"Fine," Sasuke mumbled, feeling that it wasn't as much of a chore when the blond hugged him and sent him a blinding smile. When Sasuke exited the covers, both men shivered at the coldness.

"Dobe, what happened to your heating?" Sasuke asked, grabbing the orange blanket that was at the foot of the bed. Naruto huffed and brought the duvet around his person in a tight cocoon.

"Landlord shut it off," he mumbled, making the onyx eyes widen and then narrow. Sasuke stalked to the spare room, grabbed a set of clothes and pulled them on over himself, then going to go out of the front door, only to be stopped by a confused Naruto- still wrapped in the duvet.

"Teme, where are you going?" he asked, gently touching Sasuke's arm. Sasuke stared at the blond determinedly, before turning away.

"I'm going to have a word with your landlord- get the films set up and I'll make you your tea and ramen afterwards," Sasuke told Naruto, before swiftly exiting, leaving a stunned blond staring at the closed door. It took him a while to snap out of his reverie, and when he did, he was surprised to find that a soft smile was playing on his lips and that he was feeling better than he had in a long time. Eventually, he made his way to the living room and switched on his television, setting up so the output was to the digital storage device that held his folder of collected horror films. He adjusted the sound level to be quite loud and drew the heavy curtains - and what with it being winter and a bit stormy- forcing the room to near-darkness. After that, he plopped himself down on the sofa, starting a bit when the _whirr_ of his boiler starting up sounded throughout the apartment. A chuckle escaped his lips when for the first time in a while, the radiator started up behind the sofa, warming the piece of furniture- but he still didn't leave his duvet, too wrapped up in the scent it emitted, making him feel dizzy and love-drunk. His apartment door then opened, and Sasuke stepped through it, noticing that Naruto was still in his duvet. He rolled his eyes and smirked, before going into the spare room and changing into his pyjamas. After he'd done that, he moved to the kitchen to make the ramen as promised, as well as the blond's favoured cup of vanilla redbush tea. As he walked around the kitchen, pulling out various objects, he was started as a pair of arms snaked around his waist and a warm body pressed up against his own, a forehead resting on his left shoulder. Again, the strange ache appeared in the raven's chest as well as the mysterious Houdini butterflies coming out of nowhere.

"Dobe, are you okay?" Sasuke asked, feeling the nod against his back as the blond replied. Sasuke hummed, pouring the hot water from the kettle into both the bowl of noodles and the giant mug the blond loved, before adding the flavouring for the ramen and placing it in the nearby microwave.

"Can you get me the milk from the fridge?" Sasuke asked Naruto, who was still attached to the raven, but nodded and let go to go to the fridge and collect the requested item, whilst Sasuke dumped six sugars into the mug. The microwave beeped and Sasuke grabbed a tea towel, removing the bowl from the microwave and stirring it, adding a dash of salt, whilst Naruto poured the milk into his mug, stopping when Sasuke came over at the right moment to start stirring it all together, also dumping the blond's 'ramen fork' into the bowl at the same time. Naruto smiled, and brought his tea in to the apartment's living area whilst Sasuke handled the bowl of ramen, bringing it through to the darkened area. He rolled his eyes as the blond settled down, precariously balancing his tea as he shifted himself under the quilt, allowing the raven to have some as well, before placing his tea by his feet, and taking the ramen from Sasuke.

"Thanks, teme," Naruto told the raven with a small smile, earning a 'hn' in reply, not seeing the hidden smile on the raven's face.

"What movie are we watching first, dobe?" Sasuke asked, looking to the blond, who had already finished the bowl of ramen, and shifting to pick up his mug of tea.

"You can pick," Naruto told Sasuke, leaning back and passing Sasuke the remote. He flicked through, going over various films until he eventually landed on 'Paranormal Activity 3'. He smirked, knowing that the blond didn't like the mixture of children and ghosts. Sure enough, when he looked over to Naruto, he looked a little pale. The smirk just grew as he pressed the play button, and he felt the blond shift so that he was leaning against the raven, still snuggled under the quilt. About an hour in, the blond had run out of tea, and was clutching Sasuke's arm, eyes wide as he stared at the screen. Sasuke was secretly preening at the fact he had so much attention from Naruto on his person, but still couldn't resist what he was about to do. As Sasuke had seen the film before, he waited patiently until another jump-scare would appear, and when it did, he jolted the blond, yelling at him at the same time. The result was Naruto screaming and falling onto the floor, with Sasuke almost wetting himself laughing. Huffing, Naruto looked up to Sasuke and growled, pulling the still laughing raven onto the floor by his ankle.

"Bastard! You really scared me!" he yelled, still heavily breathing as Sasuke crashed on top of him, still chuckling, earning a tiny smile from the blond beneath him. Eventually, the only sound was that of the television, but the two on the floor weren't focusing on that, but on each other, still smiling slightly. Slowly, Sasuke moved closer, about to join their lips, when a hand on his chest pushed him back.

"No," Naruto stated, moving from beneath the raven, who looked a little confused.

"You're married, Sasuke- I can't do this," he muttered, making the raven even more confused.

"But we're getting divorced in a fortnight! I know that you want this Naruto," he told the blond, who flinched and sat up properly, wrapping his arms around himself.

"As much as I do, that fact still stands that you're married- and you know what I think about cheating," he told the raven, who blanched and sighed, placing a gentle hand on the blond's arm, watching with a sadness when the man in front of him flinched.

"Dobe, I'm sorry," he whispered, leaning forwards, bringing him into a hug, and pressing a gentle kiss into the blond hair.

"But I don't love Sakura, and she doesn't love me. There is nothing between us any more except an agreement stated by law. Emotionally, it's over," he told Naruto, who still shook his head.

"If she accuses you of cheating, getting drunk because of it, there's obviously still something there. I can't do this to her," Naruto told the raven, making him become slightly enraged.

"It's always about _her_!" he yelled, pulling away, shoving the blond slightly, not noticing the slight fear that overtook the blond's eyes.

"Don't you care about _me_? I'm hurting too, Naruto! And here you are- my best friend- thinking only about some bitch who hates you!" he snarled, pulling the blond closer by his collar, this time choosing to completely ignore the whimper that escaped Naruto's throat.

"Dammit, Naruto! Why do you have to be so noble?_!_" he told the blond, pressing his lips to Naruto's in a forced kiss. Shocked, Naruto weakly tried to shove the raven back but it was no use as he was pushed to the floor, his back colliding in a painful soft landing with the carpet. It was only when Sasuke pulled away that Naruto was able to properly coordinate himself and shove the raven off his body, panting and scared. It was only when Sasuke looked into the blue eyes that he saw the fear that was there, making itself known; as well as the trembling body and the unshed tears. It was only then that Sasuke realised how badly he'd just hurt the blond in more way than one. He tried to move closer to the blond and place a reassuring hand on his arm to apologise, but found it getting slapped away, and the sight of Naruto moving backwards, still looking horrified.

"Naruto, I'm so, so sor-"

"No," the blond whispered, cutting him off, making the onyx eyes widen.

"Get out!" the blond yelled, the tears finally making their way down his scarred cheeks. Sasuke didn't know what to do; he was physically frozen to the spot.

"I never should've let you in! Get the _fuck_ out!" the blond screamed, shoving the raven, making him fall onto his heels. Then, out of nowhere, an epiphany struck Sasuke- but he felt sick just contemplating using the excuse to stay.

"I can't leave you alone in this state, Naruto. I'm scared that you'll hurt yourself," Sasuke quietly told the blond, who froze on the spot, looking at something that only he could evidently see. Despite the fact that it was an excuse to stay, what he had said was true. Now that he'd screwed things up, Sasuke was scared the blond might hurt himself. Despite his reasoning, however, Naruto was still adamant that Sasuke left- and because Sasuke was just as stubborn as Naruto, he refused point blank, opting to stay on the sofa for the evening and with no touching of the blond. And even though the blond was still scared, he allowed it- because he was scared that if he was alone, he might do something bad. By this time, the movie had finished, but Naruto didn't care- he wanted to get out of the living room and go back to bed, but he knew that Sasuke wouldn't let him, being afraid that he might hurt himself. The silence engulfing the two was heavy, and it made the blond feel lightheaded, bringing on another headache. Unwillingly, Naruto clutched at his blond locks and grimaced at the feeling that coursed through his head; but he flinched away from the comforting pale hand that was also making its way towards him. Sasuke froze mid-way, before looking into the pained blue eyes.

"Naruto, is it okay to touch you?" he asked calmly, as if talking to a scared child. The blond swallowed slightly, not wanting to be touched, but knowing that he always felt more comfortable in Sasuke's hands. After internally debating, he nodded slightly, wincing when his head felt as though it would split in two. Slowly, the raven advanced, kneeling in front of the blond and gently placing his hand to where he knew it would hurt. Naruto didn't know why, but he'd always feel much better when in the hands of the raven. The familiar comfort ebbed away the headache, and Naruto sighed in relief slightly.

"So what really is the cause of these headaches?" Sasuke asked, wanting to know why the blond would frequently get headaches. Naruto hummed slightly, eyes closed, not seeing the way Sasuke was slightly worried.

"Whenever I'm distressed, the blood flow to my frontal cortex increases, bringing on migraines, so the doctor told me to relax more and drink plenty of water. When I tried to- to overdose, apparently, I just made it worse," Naruto explained, finally enlightening the raven as to why his headaches had become more frequent within the last few weeks. Sasuke hummed and moved a little closer, noticing the flinch from the blond.

"I really am sorry, Naruto," he muttered, casting his eyes down to stare at the carpeted floor. A shy hand then placed itself on Sasuke's thigh, thumb rubbing at the area slowly.

"It's okay, Sasuke. I know that you've been feeling pressed- then you find out your wife is cheating on you, whilst she's accusing you. I've also been sending out confusing signals. It's only natural that you'd react in such a way. I'm sorry," Naruto apologised, once more comforting the raven, making him feel better. Sasuke, however, was slightly angered at the blond's apology.

"Dobe, I forced myself upon you, and _you're_ apologising? There's something not right with this," Sasuke told Naruto, who just removed his hand from the pyjama-clad thigh to join the hand that was on his head and looked directly into the onyx eyes opposite him.

"Sasuke, I really, _really_ like you, but I can't do this to you. If you pursue this, you'll be no better than Sakura- and let's face it, you don't want that. I don't want to be the downfall of your reputation. I'm sorry for leading you on," he told the raven, who swallowed at the confession, but still had a look of determination around his features.

"Naruto, you seriously are an idiot," Sasuke smiled, confusing the blond for a moment. He took his hand away from the blond's head and placed it gently on the tan cheek, rubbing it soothingly. Naruto felt his breath hitch as he stared directly into Sasuke's eyes, seeing nothing but the clear love and devotion, as well as the small smile.

"Please. Can I kiss you, Naruto?" he whispered. Naruto's eyes darted briefly down to Sasuke's lips, wanting to know how they would feel against his own without being forced. Sasuke noticed the brief glance, and leant a little closer, meeting the blue eyes once more.

"There's nothing between us anymore. It won't be cheating," he reassured the blond in a calm voice. It seemed to be the trigger as not long after, Naruto had leant forward and initiated the contact between the two of them. Both sets of eyes slid closed at the contact, and Sasuke took the lead, moving his mouth against the blond's in a gentle embrace. The two then broke away, panting slightly, lids half-open as they stared at one another. It wasn't long before Naruto had reconnected their lips once again, wanting more from the raven-haired man. Sasuke was slightly surprised but went along with it, swiping the blond's lower lip with his tongue, and instantly being granted access. The next thing he knew, Sasuke was being pushed to the floor, Naruto on top of him, still kissing him. His hands instantly made their way to the blond's sides, skirting their way up and inside the pyjama top, making the blond shiver and moan his name against the other's lips. And almost as soon as it had happened, Naruto broke away, heavily breathing and a flush spiking across his cheeks.

"I took it too far," he gasped, pulling himself away from the stunned raven, who sat up in return, blond still straddling his lap. Sasuke looked to the blond who had a guilty aura surrounding him, and the raven couldn't help but laugh, confusing the blond.

"What's so funny? This is serious!" he shoved the raven lightly. Sasuke glanced to the blond, holding his gaze, still chuckling.

"Dobe, only you would be concerned about taking it too far when I want this," he told Naruto, earning a confused response.

"I'm glad you took the initiative- it means I'm not forcing you and that you're ready," he continued, making Naruto flush slightly, before the blond just shrugged and wrapped his arms around the pale neck. He then leaned in to kiss Sasuke again, this time with a small smile playing at his lips.

"Teme, I'm not a girl," he whispered, making the raven snicker in response.

"Sure you're not," he replied with a smirk, earning a nudge from Naruto.

"If you weren't a girl, you wouldn't have screamed when I scared you earlier," Sasuke started to tease, earning an indignant yell arouse from Naruto as he jumped up and back onto the sofa to grab his duvet and place it over himself.

"Bastard! Let's watch a different film and I'll show you how much of a girl I am!" he challenged, earning another smirk from the raven as he placed himself on the other end of the sofa, stealing the duvet and placing it over himself.

"Challenge accepted, dobe," he told the other man, pressing the play button on 'The Haunting in Connecticut'. Naruto nodded securely, but edged slightly towards Sasuke as the opening title sequence started to play.

In the end, Naruto was cuddling up to the raven, face pressed into the pyjama-clad arm, telling the raven to turn it off… which he didn't. He was enjoying the blond's attention far too much.

* * *

><p>Naruto waltzed through the front door of his apartment eight months later, a bright grin on his face, whistling a tune. As soon as he entered the kitchen, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and a kiss pressed to his neck.<p>

"And why are you in such a good mood?" came a deep voice, which made the blond's heart beat in an erratic way. He turned in the arms of his captor and pressed a kiss to the lips that belonged to the other.

"I got a promotion!" he yelled excitedly when they broke away. Sasuke smirked and kissed the blond again.

"Congratulations. Should we celebrate?" he muttered, earning an appreciative moan from the blond in his arms.

"I dunno, what do you have in mind?" he asked seductively, hooking a finger in the collar of the t-shirt the raven was wearing. Sasuke smirked and looked down to the man in his arms.

"Something that will make you scream," he whispered into the ear of the blond, making him shudder and press closer. It was then that Sasuke smirked and pulled away, showing the blond something, which made Naruto cringe. It was a horror DVD.

"Teme!" he yelled, shoving the chest in front of him, earning a chuckle and a kiss on the lips. The two pulled away, Naruto with another smile on his face, which Sasuke noticed.

"You're much happier recently," he noted, letting the blond go to make some ramen and tea. Naruto hummed and nodded in response, filling up the kettle.

"Uh-huh. Do you want some tea?" he asked, pulling out his giant mug. Sasuke hummed in reply.

"You also seem to be having fewer headaches," Sasuke observed, walking over to the counter and leaning against it, trying to look into his boyfriend's eyes.

"Do I?" Naruto asked, a small smile playing at his lips. Sasuke leant forward.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" the raven asked, making the blond stop in his tracks, and then turn to his boyfriend with another blinding grin and pulling him in for a kiss.

"The doctor cleared me of depression!" he ecstatically cried, making Sasuke smile in return.

"I told you it'd get better," he mumbled, pressing yet another kiss to the blond's lips before Naruto went and poured the hot water into the mug with the teabag. Naruto chuckled.

"You're a freakin' psychic, I swear," he chuckled, making Sasuke smile and shove his hands in his pockets before walking out of the kitchen.

"Teme! Where are you going?" Naruto called, shoving the bowl of ramen into the microwave and leaning back, trying to see his counterpart through the doorway. He set the timer and ran out of the kitchen and into the bedroom where Sasuke had disappeared to, only to stop in his tracks when he saw the room. The lights were out, candles surrounding the area; and Sasuke was sat in the middle of the bed, a smirk on his face.

"Dobe, come here," he told the blond, who advanced slowly and knelt on the bed in front of his boyfriend.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" he asked nervously, not liking where this was leading- he'd seen enough 'Supernatural' to know that when entering a candlelit room, either you were going to take part in some sort of ritual, or summon something evil.

"I'm not bringing you in here for a ritual or to summon some evil demon, dobe," he smirked, reading the blond's mind. Naruto blanched.

"Okay, that was freaky- how did you know what I was thinking?" he asked, earning a chuckle from the raven, who then took the blond's hands in his own.

"Because I know you, Naruto. I know everything. How you like your tea; what type of toothpaste you prefer- even the ideal time for when you want to cuddle," he smiled, looking deep into the blue eyes before him, seeing the confusion that lay there.

"But I know you enough to realise that with what I'm about to ask you, you may seem a bit hesitant to answer. You'll be thinking about the past and if I can keep my promises," Sasuke told the blond, who was starting to realise what was going on, and was indeed, wondering if Sasuke really meant what he was saying.

"I want us to be together, being more than lovers and boyfriends," Sasuke told the blond, reaching behind him and handing the blond a velvet box. Naruto blinked a few times and opened the box that held two rings.

"They're promise rings," he stated to the blond, hoping that the offer wouldn't be thrown back into his face with the box. Sasuke swallowed nervously as the blond just continued to stare into the box and not answer him, evidently thinking over his answer. Despite knowing that the blond might have a hard time deciding, Sasuke still didn't expect it to go this way. A small weight had set in his stomach as his boyfriend had yet to answer him.

"If you don't want to, I could just-"

"Yes," Naruto whispered, looking up to Sasuke with a small smile, taking one of the rings out of the box and placing it onto his own finger and then passing the box to Sasuke, who had a dumbfounded look on his face, before a grin overtook his features and he leant forward to kiss his partner on the lips- nothing heated, but filled with love and passion.

"I love you, Naruto," Sasuke whispered to the blond, who just grinned in return.

"I love you too, Sasuke," he replied, earning another light peck to his lips. A beeping went off in the background, and Naruto started.

"Ah! My ramen!" he exclaimed, moving to the kitchen, his hand hanging on to the doorframe as he turned the corner, the silver ring glinting in the light of the candles. Sasuke smiled at Naruto's antics before he looked down to the box and placed the other on his finger. As he exited the room, he blew out the candles and went to join his lover in the kitchen, hopefully to stop him from eating all of the ramen. As he arrived, it was in vain, as the bowl had already been emptied; and Sasuke rolled his eyes, once more hugging the other from behind, a smile on his face.

"So, want to see if you're still a girl?" he muttered jokingly, earning a snort from the blond.

"Bring it on, teme!" he told the raven with a competitive smirk.

And as usual, the horror film had Naruto curled up against his boyfriend, yelling at Sasuke to turn it off. And as usual, Sasuke ignored him- this was an obstacle that Naruto had yet to overcome.

"Dobe, the scary part is over- you can look now," Sasuke told the blond, who bravely peeked up in time to see a woman being dragged down the stairs by an invisible force. He screamed and buried his face into Sasuke's chest.

"BASTARD! I _hate_ you!" he screeched, making the raven smirk and kiss the top of his head.

"Nah you don't," he replied, grinning smugly.

And how much Sasuke would enjoy getting his boyfriend to overcome this obstacle.

* * *

><p><strong>*dies* Oh my gosh, why did this take so long to complete?<strong>_**!**_** (camping, college, niece staying over, computer time-limits) But anyways, the next one is a prompt by Kenny-chan along the 'Teacher' theme- and I'm gunna enjoy that one, as well as 'Art' from Juura99. I hope you guys liked this one though!**

**Have a nice evening :)**


	13. Teacher

**Author's Note:** I'm seriously surprised at how much devotion I'm giving this XD I thought I'd give up at ten, but I'm still making my way through them, despite college and a job- how I'm managing, I have no idea! XD So, let's get on with it shall we? As requested by Kenny-chan, we have 'Teacher'.

**Warnings:** A bit o' ye olde (extremely, extremely light) smut, SasuNaru, ties and annoying high-school Akatsuki :P

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto owns the rights to all 'Naruto' characters. I am making no profit from this story.

* * *

><p><strong>Teacher<strong>

Uchiha Sasuke's eyebrow twitched as he eyed the boy before him.

"You haven't done your homework?" he asked the teen, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a guilty grin on his face.

"Y'see, sensei, I _did_ do it, I just left it at home!" he insisted. Sasuke sighed frustratedly, regretting that they weren't in the olden days and able to hit schoolchildren with canes.

"Deidara. After school detention; an hour," he told the boy, who's jaw just dropped to the floor.

"B-but sensei! The newest episode of-" Sasuke had then had enough and slammed his hand down on the desk.

"I don't CARE!" he yelled, stunning the class into silence, including the boy in front of him.

"If you'd been smart enough to _remember_ your homework, we wouldn't have this issue!" he hissed, ignoring the way Deidara seemed to be shaking.

"Now sit back down!" Sasuke barked, earning a shaky nod from the boy in front of him as he walked swiftly back to his seat, trying to disappear into it as he sat at the back of the room. Sasuke was still seething, and the knock at the door just made it even worse. With a speed that would've given any normal person whiplash, Sasuke turned to the door glare fixed in place.

"Come in!" he snapped, and the door slowly opened, revealing the English Literature teacher, Uzumaki Naruto, shifting nervously and awkwardly carrying a high pile of folders. As soon as the older male saw this, he instantly rushed to the teacher to help him and take few folders, revealing a blond head and blue eyes.

"Thanks Uchiha-san," he grinned, earning a soft smile from the teacher who had not two minutes ago been raging at his class.

"No problem, Uzumaki-san. I'm glad you didn't end up spilling them all over the floor, dobe." He grinned, making the rest of the students' jaws drop at the reaction. The blond-haired teacher just scoffed lightly and shoved past the other male, before dumping the folders on his desk. Sasuke caught sight of the slack-jaws and glared at his class.

"What are you bakas gawping at? Get to work!" he sternly told them, making the pupils jump and hastily get back on task. Naruto frowned at Sasuke when he saw that Deidara was sniffing.

"Teme, what did you do to him?" he asked, slightly angry, and that's when Sasuke sweat-dropped.

"Nothing- he was lying about not handing his homework in!" Sasuke protested, catching the interest of the class once more. Naruto huffed and walked over to Deidara, crouching down to his height.

"Do you want to step outside for a moment, Deidara-kun?" he asked gently, earning a slight nod in return. Sasuke watched helplessly as the blond man led the child outside of his classroom, not failing to notice the look given to him by the other as he stepped outside.

'_I'm so sleeping on the sofa tonight,_' he internally mourned, not noticing the way that the students had started to wonder about something. Sasuke just sighed and stepped outside to see what Naruto was currently saying to cheer the blond student up. He leant against the door in the corridor, watching as Naruto comforted the other boy, assuring him that he wasn't in trouble and that he didn't have to attend the after-school detention. It was at that point that Sasuke stepped in.

"Uzumaki-san, with all due respect, you cannot say that he doesn't have to go to the detention I issued- it's not in your power to do so," Sasuke told Naruto, earning a sharp gaze.

"As it so happens, Uchiha-san, this boy genuinely did forget his homework. I would know, seeing as I was given it to deliver as I was also taking those folders to your classroom," Naruto replied sternly, reaching into his side messenger bag and withdrawing a portfolio that had obviously had a lot of time spent on it. Sasuke blinked when he saw that it was indeed Deidara's homework. He just produced a small 'Hn', whilst the portfolio was pressed roughly into his hands.

"I think this should be suitable enough reason as to why he doesn't have to attend the detention," Naruto continued, glaring at the raven, who just sighed.

"Whatever. Deidara, get back into class." He muttered, earning a small nod from the boy as he lightly pushed past and rushed in, glad he didn't have to miss his show and that he'd gotten off the hook. As he entered, however, he was bombarded by questions.

Outside the classroom door, both men were slightly angry with the other for different reasons.

"Why would you be so mean to a _boy_, Sasuke?" Naruto hissed, not at all liking Sasuke's way with dealing with students. In return, Sasuke just 'Hn'd and folded his arms across his chest.

"Dobe, why would you just let him off the hook like that? In the real world, there are deadlines that need to be kept to- if I was late in handing in a report, I would most likely be fired," Sasuke stated, knowing that it was a bad excuse to use, but using it anyway. Naruto growled slightly.

"You know that's a bullshit excuse!" he told the raven, who just shrugged.

"Whatever- don't you have a class to teach?" he dismissed coldly, shouldering past the hurt blond and entering his classroom. Outside, the blond teacher just stared at the door the raven had vanished through, feeling hurt at the cold treatment he had just been given by his colleague and boyfriend. With a small sigh, he walked down the hall of the English block and entered his classroom. As he sat down at his desk, a girl came up to him with her book, asking for him to check the work she'd done. The pink-haired girl looked to her favourite teacher, who was straining a smile and smiled back in return. However, as the girl waited for him to check her work, she was surprised to see a small splash of water make her ink run. Surprised, she asked her teacher if he was okay, just earning a nod in response.

"Yeah; just a disagreement with the other half," he replied quietly, making the rest of his class feel rather miserable. Naruto was a well-liked teacher throughout the whole school- and if someone had upset him, the pupils and staff considered it a heinous crime. The problem was, however, that nobody knew who Naruto was dating, so they couldn't make his 'other-half' pay. The girl just patted his back reassuringly.

"It's okay, sensei. I'm sure she'll see the light soon," she replied with a smile, earning a small chuckle from the blond.

"Pfft, the bastard will never see sense," he muttered, earning a frown from the girl. From his statement, she could at least deduce that her teacher was gay- that had come as quite a shock. As she sat down with her book, she turned to her friend, Ino, to start gossiping.

As lunchtime rolled around, Naruto could still be seen leaning on his arms, staring at the back of his classroom forlornly. A gentle knock at the door didn't even stir him from his angsting, and he didn't even bother to acknowledge that he'd heard it. The handle was pushed down slowly, and the door gently opened, revealing a brunet with triangle tattoos on his cheeks.

"Naruto? You okay?" the Art teacher, Inuzuka Kiba, asked gently, sitting on the other's desk. Depressed blue eyes locked with friendly brown, which instantly made the other worry.

"What's wrong?" he asked, ruffling the blond spikes. Naruto just ignored his friend, laying his head back down on his arms and gazing to the back of the classroom. Kiba sighed, now knowing what the issue was.

"What did he do this time?" he whispered, carding his hands through the blond, downy hair. The literature teacher sighed once more and spoke quietly in a mumble, making Kiba strain to hear what he had said. However, because he had such great hearing, he managed to catch it anyway.

"Sasuke made a kid cry- and then he yelled at me," he muttered depressingly. Kiba blinked, not knowing how this was a problem.

"Sasuke's always making kids cry- what's so different about this time?" he quizzed. Having known the Uchiha for as long as Naruto had, Kiba knew it was in the basic genes of the raven to make some sort of small child cry- and if that child had been a student, why should it matter? Naruto turned his head on his arm, leaning on his ear so he could see Kiba better.

"I really want to have kids, Kiba- but if Sasuke's going to be acting like this, can I really trust him to bring one up?" he asked the other teacher, earning a wide-eyed blink in return. Naruto just let out a rough sigh and sat up.

"What if Hinata was really mean to your daughter- you'd be upset, wouldn't you?" Naruto told the brunet, who just bit at his lower lip anxiously, now seeing the problem.

"And when he went back into the classroom, it was as if he didn't even care for the reason he was being mean to Deidara-kun. I don't want that sort of person raising a kid, and it just kills me inside to think that person is Sasuke," he elaborated, earning a reassuring pat on the back when his voice cracked slightly. Blue locked with brown, and the former couldn't help but look away.

"Look, talk to him when you get home- I'm sure it'll all get better," Kiba reassured his friend, earning a grateful smile in return.

"Yeah," he mumbled slightly, thinking ahead to what he could talk to Sasuke about in the evening.

* * *

><p>Sasuke's eye twitched as he eyed the class he had.<p>

'_Try and be nice,_' he repeated in his mind. After a huge argument, followed by some crying and then make-up sex the night before, Sasuke had gotten the message from his boyfriend that in order for him to be fully forgiven, he had to be a bit nicer to his students. However, Sasuke had also told the blond that his class was a handful, and that if he had them, the blond would most probably lose his bento as well. So, with a little bit of convincing, the principal- Tsunade- had allowed them to swap classes for the rest of the week. Sasuke stood at the front of a class filled with younger students, all about the age of eleven or twelve, looking at him as though he were their god.

"Okay, my name is Uchiha Sasuke, but you have to call me Uchiha-sensei, or if you prefer, Uchiha-san. Whilst I'm in charge of this class, your other teacher will be taking over mine. There is to be no talking, no eating, no chewing and no drinking unless it's from water in a clear bottle- do you understand?" he asked sternly, earning a chorused 'yes sensei,' in reply. Sasuke blinked, never having had that sort of respect from his own students. A small smile threatened to take over his lips at that, until he saw the pink-haired girl whispering to her friend. A raven eyebrow rose in interest and he looked to the seating plan to find out her name.

"Haruno - please share what you're saying to the class," he told her. Sakura flushed a light pink, but stood up in her chair nonetheless, reciting what she had been talking about.

"I was talking to Ino about Uzumaki-sensei. We were discussing whether or not he's gay," she told her teacher, who blinked in return and growled.

"Thank you for sharing, Haruno, but in the future, do not gossip about teachers behind their backs," he told her as she sat down, a small amount of anger settling in the pit of his stomach at the fact his boyfriend was being gossiped about. His musings were interrupted, however, when a hand rose into the air. Sasuke looked to the student, and then back down to the seating plan.

"What is it, Yūhi?" he asked the brown-haired girl, who then stood in her chair. Sasuke blinked, amazed that Naruto's students had so much respect.

"What is your take on this subject, Uchiha-san? Your reaction to Haruno-kun's statement confused me. Are you angry?" she asked the older man, who just blinked, not noticing how observant the pupils of this class could be.

"Ah, I see I've shocked you. I'm sorry Sensei," she continued, sitting down on her chair, leaving Sasuke to ponder when children had decided to become so observant. However, he shook his head and looked down to the plan for the rest of the week which had been written in Naruto's chicken-scratch writing. Sasuke sighed and squinted, trying to make sense of what he'd written, before finally giving up and asking one of the students. All of which were disturbingly accurate with what they had learned.

Meanwhile, in the other class, Naruto gazed on at the students with disbelief. A group of people sat at the back with an insane amount of piercings, another teen with blue hair was biting Deidara's arm, pretending to be a shark. Naruto was at a loss of what to do.

"Um, guys! Can I have your attention please?" he called, earning nothing in response. He then tried calling a little louder, until eventually, he just gave up and whistled loudly. Silence then descended upon the room, and Naruto sighed in relief.

"Thank you. Next time I don't expect me to have to do that to get your attention," he told the class, who just looked at him as though he was speaking Welsh.

"Alright, all get back to your seats. I have a seating plan here, and if you're not in the right places, I _will_ be telling Uchiha-san," he warned them, watching as nothing happened. Naruto blinked, not used to having no response. He just sighed and decided that for today, they could sit where they wanted.

"Okay, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be your temporary teacher for the rest of the week. During this time-"

"Fag," Naruto blinked and looked at the person who had uttered the insult with a shocked expression.

"Excuse me?" he asked the grey-haired boy, who just smirked and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Nothing," he replied, earning a few snickers from around the class. Naruto flushed a bright red and gripped his class schedule tighter, not knowing how to deal with such behaviour.

"Are you not going to deny it?" the boy asked, and Naruto glanced down to see that the student went by the name of Kabuto Yakushi. Deciding to give the boy a taste of his own medicine, Naruto smirked in his direction, almost causing him to fall off his chair in surprise.

"Why would I deny the problems of yours that you're putting on me?" he asked, raising a blond eyebrow in a cocky manner- something he had learned from Sasuke- which made the teen fall off his chair in shock, and a few snickers arouse from the rest of the class.

"Now, before Mr-Society-Issues decided to interrupt us, I was saying that I'm your new teacher for the week," he continued, earning a few awed gawps from the students. Meanwhile, Deidara had leaned in to talk to a quiet, redheaded boy.

"Hey, Sasori-danna; y'know that eyebrow trick he pulled- d'ya reckon he learned that from Uchiha-sensei?" he asked the redhead, who hummed in reply.

"I heard that Uchiha-sensei is gay, and seeing as this Uzumaki and he have suddenly swapped classes, there might be something between them," Sasori observed, earning a choked gasp, which then attracted Naruto's attention.

"Deidara-kun, do you mind not dying? I don't want to have saved your ass twice already," he told the blond, who nodded, choking a little less.

"Sorry sensei!" he replied, earning an eye-roll, which most of the class recognised as one of the Uchiha's trademarks. Deidara then nudged the other boy next to him- the one who had been biting his arm earlier- to ask him a question.

"Hey, Kisame; what do you think about Uchiha and Uzumaki being a couple?" he asked the blue-haired boy, who was doodling sharks in his notepad. Kisame hummed and eyed the Uzumaki, taking in how the teacher was slightly limping. A shark-like grin overtook his features and he raised his hand in the air.

"Yo! Uzumaki-sensei!" he called out, earning the blond's attention. Naruto let out a small 'hm' in reply, wondering what the boy could want.

"Why are you limping?" he asked, still grinning. At that question, Naruto turned an interesting shade of red, but decided to ignore the question, talking to a girl with blue hair and pointing out where she could improve on her work. However, the girl was now wondering about the limp and curiously looked at her teacher, noticing that there were a few love-bites on his collar.

"Sensei, do you have a girlfriend- or boyfriend even?" she muttered quietly, so that no one else could hear them. Naruto blinked, not knowing why the girl would want to know. He just swallowed however, and muttered in return.

"I have a boyfriend, yes," he muttered, earning a raised brow in response.

"Is he good?" she asked, then waggling her brows, making her teacher go off into a daydream.

"Oh yes," he muttered, freaking the girl out a bit, before he shook himself out of his reverie and scowled.

"But he's a teme," he muttered darkly, not noticing the evil smirk that overtook the other's lips as she passed a note behind her to a pale boy with crimson bangs. He opened it and grinned, then passing it to a silver-haired teen -with a lot of hair products to slick said hair back- who then passed it to Kisame, who in turn, passed it to Deidara. The blond opened the note to read the words.

'_He's definitely gay, and he called his boyfriend a teme,_' Deidara hummed in contemplation, recalling that the blond had called Sasuke a 'teme' yesterday. Was it a commonly used insult with him? Did he call everybody a teme? He then thought about Sasuke's speech towards the blond- how the 'teme' was in response to a 'dobe'.

'_Kinda like Sam and Dean's "bitch" and "jerk" routine'_ he noted, deciding to scrawl that down and pass it around, all of the time making sure that his teacher didn't catch the notes- otherwise their plan would be shot to shreds. A knock at the door distracted the teacher and he went to answer it, a small blush taking over his cheeks as he did so.

"A-ah! Uchiha-san; do you need something?" he asked, letting Sasuke in to view his class, scowling when they were talking. However, he kept his mouth shut.

"I'm coming to check how everything's going," he muttered, eyeing his class. Naruto hummed.

"Things are going well, thanks- what about you?" he asked the raven, who just shrugged.

"I gotta say, your class is much easier to teach," he replied, then going and leaning in closer.

"They're also too observant- they're asking about us being a couple," he quietly told the blond, not noticing the way the class was grinning at the interaction. Naruto flushed a deep shade of red at that point, and swallowed. Sasuke then leant back and surveyed his class, all who had gone back to writing and/or talking. He hummed appreciatively, noting that none of them were looking, and swooped in to press a kiss to his boyfriend's cheek before walking out, leaving a stunned Naruto standing at the front. Sasuke had never been one for public displays of affection, so it seemed their argument from the night before had really gotten to him. However, Sasuke had not taken into account that Sasori had placed his phone under the table, and caught the whole thing on video. He smirked, showing it to Deidara, who almost squealed in reply.

"This definitely proves it!" he told his friend, who just sighed.

"We need more proof though!" this could be taken as just friendship. We need more SasuNaru evidence," he muttered, earning a confused glance from Kisame and Deidara.

"SasuNaru?" they both quizzed, and Sasori nodded.

"That is the pairing we shall know them as. UchihaMaki doesn't sound cool," he told the others, who nodded in agreement.

"We need to catch them in the act. Boys, we're going to have to say goodbye to our innocence, and start stalking."

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed, combing his fingers through his hair as he walked down the hallway, Sasuke by his side.<p>

"I understand what you mean now, teme; they're stressful," he muttered to the raven, who hummed in contemplation.

"Now you know why I'm so harsh to them- it helps keep my stress levels down. When my stress is low, I'm more pleasant to you. I don't wanna lose you because I'm in a bad mood," he muttered, tugging the blond into a nearby janitor's closet, bringing his hands to rub the blond's cheeks. Naruto just stuttered at that, not knowing what to say.

"Do you really think I care about your foul moods? You've been an asshole since forever, Sasuke," he muttered in reply, pressing his hand to the shirt-covered chest. Sasuke hummed and leant in, kissing his boyfriend passionately, being rewarded with a positive response.

"Mmm, this takes me back," Naruto muttered huskily, removing the Uchiha's dark blue tie and earning a perverted chuckle from his other half.

"Oh the memories," he replied, taking his tie from the blond's hands and tying the wrists together, before raising them above the tanned teacher's head.

"I don't remember the bondage," Naruto smirked, but loving the attention all the same. Sasuke snorted, sucking on Naruto's neck, pleased that the love-bites from the night before hadn't been covered up. A quiet, pleased moan slipped from Naruto's throat as Sasuke made his way down, unbuttoning the shirt at the same time.

"Sasuke," he muttered, earning a suck on his chest in response. The raven pulled away, standing up straight, the blond's orange tie in his other hand. He then tied it to his own tie, then tying the other end to a higher beam, making it so that the blond couldn't touch anything.

"Ah-uh, I'm getting you to myself today, he muttered huskily, approaching the blond and kissing him once more, delving his tongue the other's mouth, easily winning the battle for dominance. As if it were and automatic response, Naruto hooked his legs around the raven's waist, pulling them closer, and Sasuke wrapped his arms around the blond's middle, fully encouraging the blond. However, just as the two were about to take it further, the closet door was opened, and the flash of a camera was seen. The two of them were frozen in the same position, shocked at the fact that they had been discovered. Naruto then struggled, trying to loosen his hands from the bonds.

"Fuck! Sasuke!" he told the raven, who just nodded, untying the ties and helping the blond do his shirt up.

"Who was that?_!_" Naruto cried as the two of them burst out of the closet, watching with desperation as somebody in a black coat darted around the corner. Panicked, the two chased after the shadow, rounding the corner, seeing another person running further ahead. The two teachers panted, trying to catch up with the person. However, the person rounded another corner, and by the time the two males had followed, they were at least two hundred meters in front. Both men panted, wondering how on earth the person could run so fast. Naruto was bent over, hands on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath.

"Shit! What're we gunna do?" he asked, turning to Sasuke with a worried look on his face. Sasuke hummed, still panting slightly.

"Well, we catch the bugger, that's for certain!" he declared, standing up straight, earning a half-hearted glare from the blond.

"Teme, that kid was fast! How the hell do we catch them?_!_" Naruto stressed, noticing the smug grin on Sasuke's face.

"There's only one person who can run that fast- and this situation seems familiar somehow," he told the blond, who eventually straightened himself up, jaw slack.

"What? How does it seem familiar?" Naruto asked, not recalling ever have been in a situation quite like that. Sasuke smirked and turned to his boyfriend.

"Hot Fuzz," he stated, making the blond blink in return.

"Damn," he replied, earning another smirk in response.

"And I only know one class that loves the film enough to use a technique in real life," he elaborated, making Naruto sigh in realisation.

"I hate your class, teme," he admitted, earning a snort and a kiss on the cheek in return.

"And now you know how I feel. I'd never be harsh to a child without a legitimate and reasonable excuse_,_" he explained, earning a sigh from the blond.

"Let's go sort them out then, teme," he suggested, earning a pleased smile in return. The two returned to the school building, hand in hand.

* * *

><p>Deidara sat there nervously in his seat, eyeing the two teachers that stood at the front, arms crossed. The whole of their class was in for questioning about a mishap that had happened earlier in the day, and the blond couldn't help but feel guilty about what had happened. By now, the photo had been blue-toothed to at least ten different people.<p>

"Deidara-kun, how many times have you watched Hot Fuzz?" Naruto asked, seeming to be interested. At the question, the blond child perked up, a grin on his face.

"Dude, that film is so epic! I can practically recite it word-for-word!" he proudly told the Uzumaki, who nodded in return. At that point, Sasuke walked forward, and slammed a fist on the other's desk, making him jump and the grin slip from his face.

"Hand over your phone, Deidara!" Sasuke growled, making the boy stutter.

"I- I- you can't make me!" he squeaked, earning a snort in return. Surprised, he saw the blond cross his arms.

"We both have reason to suspect inappropriate material is on your phone, so we do," he replied, watching as the boy withdrew his mobile phone with a look of horror on his face. Sasuke snatched the phone from the other's hand and flicked through the menu, coming to the pictures. Sure enough, the most recent one was of the two teachers in the closet, locking in a passionate embrace. A raven eyebrow rose at the good quality, and he quickly sent the image to his own phone, internally grinning at his genius. The picture was quite hot. However, he then turned back to stone and glared at the boy.

"You know this is almost illegal behaviour, right?" he told the boy, who paled and shook his head.

"It was just because we were interested!" he protested, then being silenced as Naruto's fist crashed down onto the table.

"I don't care! This is an invasion of privacy, and you're lucky you're not being excluded!" he yelled, shocking both the raven and the boy. The Literature Teacher had never lost his cool like that, and to be honest, it turned the raven on slightly. He shook himself out of his reverie to glare at the blond boy, who was almost breaking down into tears.

"B-but!" he blubbered, earning a sigh from the raven as he eyed the blond, who seemed shocked at himself for yelling and making the other upset. His eyes grew worried, and without thought, he pulled the boy in for a hug.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to yell!" he reassured the blond, who just looked confused, and Sasuke just looked shocked at the reaction.

"Dobe?" he asked uncertainly as the smaller blond hugged the teacher back. Naruto looked to Sasuke with worried eyes as he stroked the child's hair.

"I can't believe I was so mean!" he whispered, earning a small smile from the raven in return as he approached, pressing a gentle kiss to his boyfriend's temple.

"Dobe, that's what it's like being a parent," he muttered gently, pulling Naruto closer so that his head was leaning against his chest. The three just stood there- Deidara feeling a little awkward- until Naruto let go and sniffed.

"I want you to delete that photo, and tell the others who you've sent it to to delete it as well," he gently told the teen, who nodded, taking back his phone and deleting the picture, making the blond breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Deidara-kun," Naruto told the student, who sighed in disappointment.

"Man, this was fun as well," he muttered depressingly, as he was escorted out of the class. However, as he exited, and the two teachers went away, he was bombarded with questions. Deidara smirked, glancing to his Drama teacher, Rock Lee and the Religious Studies teacher, Hyuuga Neji with a smirk.

"So… I heard Rock Lee and Hyuuga Neji are an item…."

* * *

><p><strong>TADA! I hope you liked it, Kenny-chan! Did you like it? *hopeful eyes* <strong>

**I tried to keep to the plot as much as you suggested, and I thought it worked quite well- what about you?**

**Well, I hoped all of you guys enjoyed this :P The next one is 'Art' as requested by Juura99, then after that there's 'Ghost Hunters' as requested by SilverLegacy7 and then 'Married Couple' from the wonderful mikan27lover.**

**Now… who wants to be my 50****th**** reviewer? ;)**


	14. Art

**Author's Note**: I really hate my memory stick 'cause it deleted this for no apparent reason. The result? Me listening to a load of Nightcore, watching Okane ga Nai (a yaoi anime meaning 'No Money') and remaking this prompt completely! So, here is the prompt 'Art' from Juura99!

**Warnings:** Yaoi (SasuNaru), cussing and light violence.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters from Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto has that honour.

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><p><strong>Art<strong>

The blond looked at himself in the mirror, clouded blue eyes not taking in the surroundings. A brief memory flashed behind his eyelids of how he'd come to be there. The suffocating glass reflection in front of him caught his every movement. A small growl emitted from his throat as he thought of the outside world. They could see him, but he couldn't see them. He was a model in an art museum, sold to be gawped at every day. He didn't even know what his admirers looked like. Only an eternal mirror so he could sort out his appearance. Luckily, nobody was around to witness his meltdown- it was after closing hours, so who would be looking at him. The tubes that were fed into his body stung, and he felt bruised all over. Was this all it was going to be for his entire life? A tanned fist crashed against the mirror, a small crack appearing with pulse of blood emitting from it. A shock was sent through his systems, sedating him.

_I can't stand it anymore!_ The blond thought, growling to himself. All day, every day, he was stuck in this glass tube to be stared at like a piece of meat. A tapping noise then brought him out of his angsting, and his eyes changed from angry to confused. Where was the tapping coming from? His answer was presented when for the first time, the mirror image gave way, presenting the other side of the window. His eyes widened as before him stood a tall raven, both of them separated by the glass mirror. Sapphire blue locked with cherry-onyx and the owner of the former instantly felt calmed at seeing another person, not just his reflection. A pale hand was placed on the glass, almost as if he wanted to join the other in his haven- if one could call it that. Slowly, a tan hand reached up to join it, and something flickered within the irises of the one outside, a small show of understanding. Briefly, the blond hoped that the vulnerability he was feeling hadn't shown on his face and that he still seemed either impassive or angry with the world for what had become of him.

It was only when the raven-haired man moved that he took notice of what he was wearing. It was a night guard's uniform, a nametag pinned to his chest.

'Uchiha Sasuke'.

His heartbeat increased, pounding against his chest when he noticed the man pulling out a ring of keys from off his belt and placing it in the lock that held him captive. A glimmer of hope within the darkness that he'd finally be free from his prison. Frantically, he began to pull the tubes from his arms, not caring if he started to bleed, just as long as the hope remained that he'd finally be free. A rush of cold air hit his bare arms as the door was opened, giving the blond the first breath of non-recycled air in a long time. Nevertheless, as he went to frantically escape, he found that his legs didn't feel like cooperating, as when he stepped out of the tube he collapsed forward, a small yell of panic ripping from his throat. He never hit the floor, however, as a pair of arms caught him mid-fall and pulled him close to a warm chest. It was only then that the blond noticed how cold he was and shivered, pulling himself closer to the warmth. A large hand was gently placed to his cheek, feeling the coolness of the body that had been trapped for over five years.

"Are you okay?" a gentle voice asked, making the blond groan slightly. It had been a while since he'd heard anyone else's voice apart from his own. With much labour, he cracked an eye open that had shut to look at his saviour.

"A-ah," a small blush formed on the whiskered cheeks of the blond as he realised that he was lost for words. A smirk formed on the lips of the guard and he chuckled.

"Dobe," he muttered, earning an indignant blush and glare from the blond, who pushed himself out of the pale arms to try and stand.

"T-teme!" he replied, almost collapsing where he tried to stand, only to be caught again in the arms of his saviour.

"Stop moving around so much, dobe. You'll collapse and then you'll never get out of here," he murmured quietly into the tan ear that was close to his mouth. An obedient nod was the reply, and the guard helped the blond to his feet, placing an arm around his waist to support him.

"So, you're the famous Uzumaki Naruto, huh?" the raven asked, making the blond- Naruto- blink in surprise. He had no idea that he was famous.

"Famous?" he croaked slightly, earning a slight chuckle and nod in return.

"People have travelled from all over the globe to see you. People have been bidding on you, trying to win the great art," he somewhat spat, obviously disgusted by the whole process.

"So then why are you helping me escape, Sasuke?" Naruto whispered hoarsely. The raven froze in his steps, making Naruto stumble in return and slightly glare at Sasuke, who seemed to be in a trance.

"Teme? Escaping?" Naruto gently reminded Sasuke, who turned to the blond with a strained smile.

"I'm not helping you escape, Naruto. I won the bid." He explained, completely shattering the blond's dreams of escaping and living normally. Instead, he had to go home with a stranger who had bought him. A sudden rage overtook Naruto, and he shoved away from the raven.

"Teme!" he yelled, shocking Sasuke, then angering the raven as he collapsed onto the floor.

"What the hell happened to human rights?_!_" he yelled, tears burning at his eyes; but he refused to cry. He'd stayed strong through the years of his confinement; he wasn't going to break down now.

"Why can't I just take my pay and have a bloody life?_!_" he continued, feeling ashamed when a salty trail snaked its way down his cheek. It was in that instant when the raven fell down beside the blond, going to wipe away the tears, only to have his hand slapped away.

"Don't touch me! I don't care if you '_bought_' me or not; I'm not your fucking object!" he spat, forcing himself up shakily, still defiant. Sasuke growled slightly at the reaction and grabbed the blond's arm.

"Dobe!" he yelled, grabbing hard enough to bruise. In return, a fist was sent his way. Albeit it was a weak punch, but it still surprised Sasuke that he was willing to do anything to get away. With renewed efforts, Sasuke managed to pin Naruto down on the floor, straddling his waist.

"Who said I was going to keep you?_!_" he demanded, noticing the way the efforts lessened as the blond listened.

"Who said I was going to keep you locked up with no way out?_!_ I bought you so I could let you go! After all these years working in this damned museum- seeing you in so much pain- somebody needs to put an end to this! I bet you don't even know how powerful the Uchiha name is!" Sasuke ranted, panting from the struggles.

"I came to empathise with you- I used to be in your position. The look in your eyes when you were on display; it shouldn't be you, dobe," Sasuke whispered, finally glad that Naruto had stopped struggling against him.

"They even took away your childhood memories- you don't even remember me," Sasuke continued, earning a confused look from Naruto.

"Ch-childhood? Wh-what did they do to me?" Naruto whispered, clutching at the shirt of the raven straddling him, hands shaky from shock. Sasuke swallowed, gently pressing his hand to the cheeks of his childhood friend that had so obviously forgotten him.

"You're a piece of Art to them Naruto- they feel you have no need for memories- that having them would deter you from being what they say you are." Sasuke explained, trying not to feel guilty when the blond started shake his head in denial.

"No! I'm a person! I'm not art! Why do they say that?_!_" he gasped, trying to see through tears that had clouded his vision. A pale hand brushed the tears away, trying to comfort the blond.

"Because you're pure- you haven't been corrupted by this world. I vowed to save you, Naruto. Don't you remember?" Sasuke asked the blond, who shook his head, still trying to come to terms with how everything had turned out whilst he was encased within a mirror world. Sasuke scoffed, leaning in closer and pulling the blond flush against his chest.

"Don't worry- I'll take care of you," he whispered gently, carding his fingers through the blond hair of his childhood friend. Despite the fact that so much faith remained, the Naruto couldn't help but believe that Sasuke would be true to his word.

"Okay," he whispered quietly, earning a sigh of relief from Sasuke as he held him tighter.

"You'll remember eventually," Sasuke reassured Naruto, hoping to ease the scared nerves he could feel radiating from the blond. Naruto nodded in return, knowing he trust the raven that had released him from his prison.

"I'm not art," Naruto mumbled against the pale collarbone, trying to ground his mind to a comforting place.

"I'm not art," he repeated once more, receiving a light peck on his forehead in return.

"You're not art; you're human," Sasuke whispered in reply, comforting the smaller man in his arms. A drawn-out sigh was released from the lips of the blond as he heard the words from Sasuke's lips wash over his ears. Another trail of tears slipped from his eyes and he pulled Sasuke closer.

"Take me home, Sasuke," he whispered, not wanting to spend another minute in the place he had been in for over three years; just being observed- not knowing who his observers were. Sasuke smiled slightly and helped the blond to his feet.

"Of course, Naruto." He mumbled, taking hold of the tanned hand in his own. A tiny smile twitched at Naruto's lips as they made their way through the halls of the museum. A small shudder wracked through the blond's boy as he passed by others in the same condition he had been in. All of them- as he was- dressed in white. A pale hand guided his head into the crook of an equally pale neck, coaxing him to close his eyes and just walk away from it all. Another pair of lips descended onto his temple as they exited onto the street. It was a damp evening with little traffic.

"Thank-you, so much," Naruto whispered, turning to Sasuke, an unreadable look in his eye. A small smirk then overtook the other's lips as he leant forward, pressing another chaste kiss to the smaller man's lips. As he pulled away, he noticed with a slight glee that Naruto's eyes had drifted shut at the contact between them.

"No problem, Naruto," he whispered, shocked when the blond pulled him forward by his collar, pressing his lips to the other's again. Nevertheless, Sasuke didn't overtake the blond- going at his pace- just going with the flow, glad that something he had craved since childhood was finally available.

"I'm not art- say it again, please," he whispered against Sasuke's lips.

"You're not art; you're a person," Sasuke mumbled, deepening the kiss, much to the pleasure of the blond, who pulled himself closer.

"Thank you. Thank you," Naruto whispered as they pulled apart, a small amount of recognition shown in his eyes as he looked at the raven.

"Teme."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, as normal, the original was longer, but Sasuke (my memory stick) was being a dick and deleted all of my work. So, as usual, I had to retype and I really can't re-write things I've already written once before- so you got something completely new! Sorry for the shortness of it :**

**I hope you enjoyed this one! The next one should be 'Ghost Hunter(s)' from SilverLegacy7 and then 'Married Couple' for mikan27lover. 'Ghost Hunter' might actually be out for Hallowe'en- get in the spirit, y'know?**

**POSSESSED IS BEING RELEASED ON 31|10|2012 **

**Also, if anybody can do some cover art for this, I would be soooo grateful!**


	15. Ghost Hunters

**Author's Note:** Woop woop! Here we have the next instalment of ACOW! I'm hoping you guys are enjoying this as much as I am- it's really fun! Unless Sasuke decides to cock up *glares at memory stick* Anywhore- here we have 'Ghost Hunters' as requested by the awesome SilverLegacy7 . Enjoy!

PS: this is slightly (quite a bit-ly) based off the series 'Supernatural' by Eric Kripke.

**Warnings:** Supernatural horror, yaoi and obviously swearing (I like to cuss), violence and blood and slight angst.

**Disclaimer**: Masashi Kishimoto owns all characters- I own the plot.

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><p><strong>Ghost Hunters<strong>

Uchiha Sasuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as his partner drove well over the legal speed limit, playing the same song over and over again. Nevertheless, he kept as quiet as he could, knowing that after the previous case they had handled, the blond needed some upbeat music to keep him from sinking into the usual depression that followed a bad case. Despite his caring though, Sasuke didn't know how much more he could take of his best friend's repeated bouncing on the seat in time to the music. Just as he was about to take a swig of coffee from the Styrofoam cup that was in his other hand, an elbow hit his side, causing him to spit and choke.

"C'mon teme! Join in!" The blond chided, a blinding grin sent the other's way. Sasuke just scowled, tongue stuck out as he tried to cool the burn.

"Dobe! You made me spill my coffee!" he scolded, obviously not being heard over the pounding music.

"What was that?_!_" he yelled, not minding the scowl at all- he'd been working with Sasuke for too many years to not be fazed by his attitude. Sasuke just growled slightly, going back to staring out of the window, groaning when the car bounced in time with the blond. When the song ended, Sasuke breathed an audible sigh of relief- as much as he loved the blond idiot (not that said idiot knew), he could be really hyperactive and annoying. He was also too trusting in Sasuke's view, which was why the raven had to look out for him more than anything. The recent case flashed in his mind's eye, and he almost shuddered at the consequences Naruto's trust had caused. A beaten and badly bruised blond lying in a hospital bed.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" a soft voice drew the raven from his musings and he looked away from the flashing trees to meet a concerned blue.

"I'm fine, Naruto. Concentrate on the road," he pointed out, earning a small frown as the blond turned to face the road, also turning the volume down on the cassette player. Sasuke's eyes took on a sort of desperate look as he noticed the stitches running up the inside of the blond's tanned right arm. Without thinking, Sasuke gently took the arm in his hand, shocking the blond.

"Sasuke, what're you-"

"Are you okay?" Sasuke interrupted, not meeting sapphire with onyx. Naruto swallowed, looking at the road before them. It was nearing three in the morning and they were on a constant stretch of road, so there was really no need to concentrate so much. Nevertheless, he yanked his arm free and placed his hand back on the wheel.

"I'm fine," he told the other with an emotionless voice. Sasuke blinked, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Dobe, you-"

"I know I fucked up, Sasuke! I don't need you to tell me!" Naruto spat, looking slightly resentful for his mistakes. Sasuke just scoffed and took a sip of his now cool coffee.

"I shouldn't have trusted them that much; I know! I'm sorry!" the blond stressed, sounding a bit weaker with each protest. Sighing, Sasuke took the coffee away from his mouth and looked to the blond, who seemed to be on the verge of angry tears.

"I just- damn, I just wanted to believe that there were good ones out there!" he mumbled, turning his face away in shame. A hand descended onto his shoulder and he looked to see Sasuke staring at him with an unreadable emotion in his eyes.

"You're safe, Naruto; that's all that matters." Onyx locked with sapphire and a small understanding passed between them, making Naruto sigh. A small smirk then overtook the raven's mouth and he turned to face the front.

"Dobe, pull over; you're tired," Sasuke muttered, surprised when Naruto didn't argue, but pulled over and allowed Sasuke to take his place behind the wheel. There was the crunching of tyres on asphalt before Sasuke had floored the accelerator, heading towards the destination of their next case. As they neared the town and the sun began to rise, Sasuke stole a glance of the slumbering blond who seemed to be at peace with the world. A snort threatened to escape as Sasuke thought of the concept of 'peace'. The world hadn't had much, and neither had they. But when there were the small moments like the one he was currently experiencing, Sasuke couldn't help but feel that it was achievable, as long as he had Naruto by his side. A small snuffle and moan caught Sasuke's attention, and he frowned when he saw tan hands go to scratch at the stitches. With a small roll of his eyes, Sasuke gently slapped the hand away from the healing area. He faced the front again, only to have to slam the breaks on as a deer landed in front of him.

"HOLY SHIT!" he cursed, earning a strangled yell from the blond beside him.

"What the _fuck_ just happened?" Naruto yelled, flailing in his seat whilst Sasuke took deep, calming breaths.

"Deer," he gasped, a hand on his chest. Naruto frowned in a confused manner.

"Sweetheart," he replied in a confused jest, not noticing the small blush that threatened to stain Sasuke's cheeks at the reply.

"Sh-shut up, dobe! It just jumped right in front of me!" Sasuke stuttered slightly, earning another confused frown from the blond- Naruto had never heard Sasuke stutter once in his entire life, and he had known Sasuke for most of his life. However, he ignored it and leant against the window once again, trying to get back to sleep, not noticing the worried look in Sasuke's eyes as rain started to hit the windscreen and he turned on the wipers.

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><p>Naruto slammed the door shut of the motel they were staying in for the duration of the case and threw himself onto the bed that had been used by so many people before him. Sasuke looked up from his position at the desk, laptop light hurting his eyes in the dark of the room.<p>

"What's up, dobe?" he asked the blond, who groaned in return, one arm thrown over his face, shielding his eyes from view whilst the other slipped under his own top, rubbing at his chest slightly.

"Dead ends. A lot of them," he replied tiredly. Sasuke sighed, knowing that whenever they weren't progressing that Naruto got a bit antsy. Humming in contemplation, Sasuke got up from his place at the small table and sat on Naruto's bed, carding his hand through the blond locks in the way that he knew would calm the blond down.

"Don't stress so much; we need to go see the coroner to assess the bodies," Sasuke told the blond, who hummed in content when Sasuke's nails scratched his scalp slightly.

"Yeah, you're right," he murmured, sitting up, making Sasuke's hand slide back down to its owner's lap.

"Let's suit up then," Sasuke told the blond, who groaned in return.

"I freakin' hate suits- they make me feel like I'm a Blues brother," Naruto commented, earning a slight chuckle from the raven as he grabbed his own suit from the suitcase he had neatly stored under his bed. Naruto, however, was finding it difficult to find his things as he had strewn his clothes around the area. Eventually, Sasuke was completely ready, but waiting on Naruto, who had only stuffed on his shirt and black slacks.

"Sasuke, have you seen my tie?" Naruto asked the raven, who smirked and walked over to the table where said article of clothing was hanging on the back of a chair. Naruto sighed in relief and grabbed the orange tie.

"Awesome- now I just need my jacket and shoes," he mumbled, making his way back to his suitcase, throwing various pieces of clothing behind him. Sasuke had the –depending on which way you looked at it- fortune of a pair of the blond's clean boxer shorts fly into his face. With a sigh, Sasuke pulled the article from his face and placed it gently back in the suitcase, grabbing the suit jacket from the headboard of the bed and dumping it over the blond locks.

"C'mon, dobe; before the _real_ FBI decide to grace the morgue with their visit," Sasuke drawled, making his way to the front door. A flush overtook the tanned cheeks of the blond as he pulled his jacket on and slipped his shoes onto his feet and joined the raven, who was now walking down the street.

"Teme! Why didn't you wait?" he demanded, earning a small smirk from Sasuke as they turned the corner.

"After years of doing this, I still can't believe you haven't learned how to dress quickly," Sasuke told the blond, who grumbled and folded his arms across his chest. Onyx eyes slowly slid to the side, observing the blond intently. Though he would never admit it, Sasuke loved it when the blond pouted- it was so innocently childish, it made his stomach flutter.

"Whatever, we're here," Naruto mumbled, pushing the door to the morgue open to be met with a brunet who had red tattooed cheeks.

"Hey, boys- what can I do for ya?" he asked cheerily, eyes widening slightly as they both pulled out their (fake) FBI badges and presented themselves with a fake alias.

"And why would the FBI be involved with something like this- it was a suicide," the coroner asked, leading them to the body that they had to examine. Naruto squirmed slightly as they arrived in the morgue area, eyeing up the cold chambers with a slight fear.

"We just have to consider every possibility- after all, this is the third suicide this week, isn't it?" Sasuke told the man, who hummed in reply, scratching his head.

"Well, if there's anything you need, just let me know, alright?" he told the two, who just nodded in return. However, before he left, Naruto called out to him.

"Actually, could we have the autopsy report, please?" he asked, earning a nod in reply as the coroner exited. Sasuke instantly turned to the blond, noticing how pale he was.

"Are you okay, dobe?" he quizzed, wanting to make sure that Naruto didn't go into a relapse of trauma. During the previous case, Naruto had been kidnapped by a hive of vampires and taken to an abandoned mortuary only to be sliced into and fed off. The glazed look in the blue eyes worried Sasuke slightly, so he decided to do the sensible thing and just place a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder and shake him from his reverie.

"C'mon, dobe; let's do this," Sasuke reminded Naruto, who nodded in return, approaching the body on the table.

"Poor guy," Naruto muttered, admiring the body before him with gentle fingers.

"One would assume you'd hung yourself, however, what's with the defensive wounds on your knuckles?" Naruto quizzed the dead body, not noticing Sasuke roll his eyes at his habit of talking to the dead in the morgue.

"Hey, Sasuke; what if this is a demon?" Naruto asked, tilting the victim's head back slightly. Onyx eyes widened and he approached the table, recoiling slightly when a light smell of rotting eggs hit his nose.

"Sulphur?" Sasuke asked, taken aback; Naruto hummed in return.

"Actually, that's not the body," both men jumped when the coroner appeared, autopsy file in hand for them. Both sets of eyes narrowed at the admission, and the man smiled sheepishly.

"I thought the same as you two; but I'll tell you one thing- this isn't a demon attack," he mumbled, making the two hunters gasp for air.

"Wh-what?" Naruto choked out, the action being mirrored by his usually stoic partner. The man sighed once more, scratching his tattooed cheeks.

"My name's Kiba Inuzuka- I used to be a Hunter," he introduced himself, sticking his hand out for the two to shake, which only Naruto did. Sasuke was weary of other Hunters, not being able to trust as readily as Naruto.

"I'm-"

"Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto; I know. You two are quite the famous pair. The way you took down that Wendigo in Virginia was so cool!" the brunet enthused, earning a slight blush from the blond and a 'Hn' from the raven.

"So, you're here for this case?" Kiba asked, earning a nod in reply. In a fit of slight jealousy, Sasuke crossed his arms and headed out of the door.

"Dobe, since you've made a new friend, I'll be out investigating," he stated coldly, leaving the blond with the brunet. Kiba frowned as Sasuke exited the morgue, his demeanour as cold as the chambers surrounding them.

"Jeez, what vampire shoved a stake up his ass?" Kiba commented dryly, slightly pleased when he made the hurt-looking blond snicker. The tattooed man turned to Naruto, eyes questioning.

"So, what do you need to know regarding the victims?"

* * *

><p>When Sasuke finally returned to the motel room at gone midnight, Naruto was still waiting up for him, a bag of take-out on the table beside him. He rose out of his chair excitedly, a smile on his face<p>

"Sasuke! I got the name of-" however he froze when the dark glare fixed his gaze, and the blond swallowed slightly, backtracking a few steps, smile sliding from his face.

"S-Sasuke, what's wrong?" he stuttered, hating himself for doing so. However, it had been a while since he'd seen a look so dark appear on his partner's face. He'd never had it directed at him either; that sort of look was reserved for demons and vampires- the monsters they hunted.

"So you found out who did it, huh? And you didn't think to call me?_!_" Sasuke growled, slightly scaring the blond. Naruto stepped back slightly, not wanting to be within reach of the raven.

"I-I tried to call you five times, but you never answered!" Naruto protested, slightly hurt by the snort that emitted from the raven.

"Yeah, of course you did," he sneered, which angered Naruto slightly as he pulled out his phone and threw it at Sasuke for him to catch.

"Check the fucking phone records, jackass!" he yelled, not understanding why a sudden rage had come over him. Sasuke just scoffed and threw the phone back to Naruto, not bothering to check the phone records.

"Why should I trust you when you share secrets with complete strangers? You're going to bring the end of the world if you continue to trust demons and other sorts of monsters!" he snapped, almost regretting what he'd said when he saw Naruto's expression fall and hurt take over his features.

"Y-yeah, well at least I can actually trust people, you heartless asshole!" he yelled back, clenching his fists and leaning forward slightly in hopes to accentuate his anger. Onyx eyes narrowed and raven brows furrowed as he replied harshly.

"As if! I bet you enjoy associating yourself with the likes of them!" he retorted, this time not caring if his words had hurt the blond. Naruto had called him heartless, which Sasuke found had hit close to home. He'd been in love with Naruto for about four years now, so how could he be called heartless?

"Perhaps you'd prefer it f I went off with them then and got myself killed_?_!" Naruto screamed, his throat sore. And without thinking, Sasuke replied harshly, yelling just as loud as the blond had.

"Go on then! See if I care!"

Any anger that had shown on the blond's face was instantly wiped to a blank mask and Sasuke then thought over what he had said. It made him sick to think of the words he'd just uttered.

"Huh." It was the only word uttered before Naruto shoved passed him and slammed the motel door shut. Sasuke knew he should go after the blond, but the lack of keys proved to be a problem- how could he chase after the blond when he was in a car and angry? The solution was simple. Hotwire another! Nevertheless, Sasuke found himself rooted to the spot, his words echoing in his mind, the blank look of nothing not letting him think straight.

"FUCK!" he screamed, whirling around to punch the nearest wall and leaving a crack in the plaster. The white dust swirled around his fist, sticking to the blood droplets that were forming and dripping down onto the carpet.

"Fuck," he whispered again, the weight of the situation sinking in and making him shiver and feverish. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them at bay, settling for the burning guilt of his actions and words. He didn't know why he'd felt so jealous of Kiba and Naruto solving the issue- what was important was that they had to go and gank the ghost before it caught another unsuspecting victim. He hadn't even let Naruto talk long enough for him to find out any information; the blond's phone was on the bed, so there was no hope of contacting him either. However, the silver lining was revealed as Sasuke found the notes that Naruto and Kiba had made throughout the day lying on the tabletop. As Sasuke read the ghost's MO, victim preference and other notes, he felt a heavy weight settle inside his heart.

_George Howard; died 1945. Committed suicide after he returned from the war in Germany. He had a general hatred towards blond-haired, blue-eyed people, believing them to be spies for the Nazis and the Arian race. All victims aged between 20 and 40; all victims had natural blond hair and blue eyes. Buried in local cemetery, plot 17. _

_Plan of attack: I will go in and be a distraction whilst Sasuke burns the bones. Next victim estimated to be killed this morning at 02:03_

Sasuke swallowed at this, throat dry no matter how much saliva he swallowed. Naruto had been planning to use himself as bait whilst he dug up the body and killed the ghost. Nervously, he glanced at his watch, noticing it was quarter-past one in the morning. A small jolt coursed through his body, and he snatched the page from the table, it becoming screwed-up in his grip. Before he exited the motel, he grabbed his jacket, knowing that all the equipment he needed would be on the blond who was willingly sacrificing himself to save others.

"Fucking dobe," he stressed as he ran down the street, the drizzle moistening his pale skin. "When I get a hold of you..." he muttered, ignoring the panic that was gently settling down in his chest as he neared a familiar car by the cemetery their ghost was buried in. With a blinding speed, Sasuke had pulled a shotgun form the secret compartment in the trunk, loading it with salt rounds, as well as an iron poker. He knew Naruto well enough to know he'd already have the lighter fluid, salt and matches. A loud yell then caught his attention and he cursed as when his head perked up, he smacked it on the trunk.

"Dammit!" he cursed, slamming the boot shut, climbing the small fence and making his way as fast as he physically could towards where he'd heard the yell.

"Naruto!" he called, sprinting to his partner, who was lying on the floor by an un-dug grave, lighter fluid in hand. The blond's eyes were closed, and he smelt strongly of the lighter fluid that no doubt covered the bones.

"Dobe, can you hear me? Naru; say something!" Sasuke panicked, yelling now. A small groan was roused from Naruto and he blinked blood from his eyes where he'd obviously been thrown against something hard.

"S...'ske. L'k out!" he tried to groan, warning Sasuke of the man who had materialised behind the raven. With lightning fast reflexes, Sasuke spun on the spot, swinging the iron poker that had been hanging by his side and cutting through the projection. Nevertheless, he then felt a shoving motion on his back, and the next thing he knew, he was flying forward, smacking into a tree that was nearby. Winded, Sasuke pushed himself up, determined not to lose this fight.

"Hey, come at me you son of a bitch!" he growled, hoping to deter the spirit from its path of the blond, which seemed to be futile- until Sasuke took aim on it with his shotgun and fired, relieved when the spirit disappeared for a while. He approached Naruto once more, kneeling down, gently carding a hand through the blond's hair.

"Dobe; where're the matches?" Sasuke asked, locking gaze with a hazy blue- he was obviously disorientated.

"B..ack p-pocket," he panted, not sure as to why he was feeling so fatigued- usually he could've lasted much longer, but an immense feeling of depression and hopelessness had settled on his chest and was sucking the energy from him. Sasuke gently placed his hand on the small on Naruto's back and lifted him up so he could access the back pocket and grab the pockets. Whilst he was doing so, he felt wetness on his hand.

"Naruto, you're back is bleeding," he swallowed, and the blond nodded.

"H...he bit me," he strained, now slightly understanding the situation as to why he felt so depressed. Sasuke looked as though he were about to argue and help the blond, but Naruto just grabbed Sasuke's arm gently.

"Finish the job, teme," he chided, earning a soft smile from the raven as he stood up and approached the grave, striking a match. Briefly, there was a small cry of agony, and Sasuke was ignorant as the time came closer to two in the morning. He dropped the match into the grave, listening with slight relief as the spirit screamed and burnt out of existence. When Sasuke turned back to Naruto, horror met his eyes. The blond was still on the floor, jacket sleeves ripped and wrists cut.

In a flurry, Sasuke was by Naruto's side, frantically ripping at his own jacket to bandage the wrists that were badly cut.

"Shit, dobe! Stay with me!" Sasuke yelled at the blond, noticing the slight convulsions and paling of the skin. A warm hand found its way to cup at Sasuke's cheek, and the raven looked down to see the blond smiling.

"I knew you'd come for me," he whispered slightly, an emotion shining in his eyes that Sasuke thought would only ever be seen in his when he looked at the blond.

"N-Naru, please hang on; you're gonna be okay!" Sasuke protested, tearing another strip of cloth away from his jacket and fastening it around Naruto's wrists.

"You're gonna be okay- please be okay!" he pleaded. A small smile was sent his way, and Sasuke briefly noted how Naruto looked so distant. For what felt like the first time in too long, tears made themselves known as they slid down Sasuke's cheeks and splashed onto the blond's face.

"I'm sorry, Naruto! I never meant to say those things to you!" he begged, leaning forward, pressing their foreheads together.

"Just stay awake whilst I call the ambulance, okay? You can do that, right?" Sasuke asked desperately, a weak nod being his answer. A shaky sigh of relief was released into the air as Sasuke pulled out his mobile and dialled the emergency services. His eyes never left the blond's chest as he filled in the grave, still talking on the phone.

Eventually, blue flashing lights were visible through the trees, and Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, turning to the blond, who was now lying still.

"N-NARUTO!" he yelled, abandoning his phone to lean over the blond whose blood had stained through the strips of cloth.

"No!" he roared, his hands cupping the usually so tan cheeks which were still paling. A shiver racked throughout his entire body as he realised that he hadn't been there for the blond; never got to tell him how he'd actually felt.

"WAKE UP! NARUTO!" he screamed, losing his composure completely, his body shaking and tears messily streaking down his face.

"I-I love you," he whispered to the still male beneath him, shuddering as he tried to suck in shaky breaths. A chaste kiss was stolen from the younger male as Sasuke leaned in and gently pressed his lips to the other's, tears being applied to Naruto's cheeks.

"I love you," Sasuke whispered once more, before he collapsed on top of the body- not hearing what the EMTs had to say.

* * *

><p>A small groan was emitted from his mouth as he regained consciousness. A drowsy feeling and a smashing headache found it fit to greet him as well. His arms felt heavily bandaged, his back padded and head heavy. A fleeting memory- perhaps it had been a dream?- passed through his mind.<p>

_I-I love you_

When that thought had made itself known, Naruto instantly sat up, regretting it when he felt as though he'd been smashed over the head with a two tonne gold block wrapped in lemon.

"Oh, mother of God!" he yelled out in pain, not yet opening his eyes to see who had alerted. Nevertheless, when he did open his eyes, it was to Kiba standing at the end of his bed, clipboard in one hand, stethoscope around his neck.

"Am I dreaming?" the blond croaked, receiving a shake of the head in reply.

"Nope- I'm your 'doctor'," Kiba grinned at the blond, who felt as dizzy as though he had been spinning on the teacups for over three hours.

"I think I'm gonna puke!" he moaned, making Kiba's eyes widen as he reached for the dustbin near his feet, thrusting it into Naruto's hands as he emptied his stomach into the metal container.

"What happened?" he asked the brunet, who sighed in return, his eyes flickering to the bed next to Naruto's. The blond felt his eyes widen when he saw that Sasuke was unconscious, wires coming out from his body. Ignoring everything that was being yelled at him, Naruto ripped his own wires from his skin and climbed out of his bed, only to slip and fall. Nevertheless, it didn't deter him from approaching Sasuke's bed, worry clear on his face.

"Naruto- get back into bed," Kiba sighed, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder but it didn't stay there long as Naruto shrugged it off, eyes not moving from the form on the bed that was wrapped up in blankets and wires.

"You lost a lot of blood, Naruto; you and Sasuke were the same type, so they decided to perform a transfusion. He's gonna be out for quite a whi-"

"Shut up!" Naruto barked, running his hands gently over Sasuke's cheeks, taking in every feature of the raven. He then felt for a pulse- ignoring the heart rate monitor beside him- and sighed in relief when he felt one. Kiba remained silent, just watching as Naruto caressed Sasuke's face gently, assessing the damage; however, all that could be seen was pale skin. Naruto sighed slightly in relief, leaning closer and pressing a gentle kiss to the raven's forehead.

"Bloody hell, teme; you gave me quite a scare," he whispered, brushing back the inky locks with a small smile, tears gathered in his eyes. A small mutter came from Sasuke's lips, and Naruto felt himself blush when he realised it was his name, however, it stirred a pleasant feeling in his stomach. He leant forward, however, right next to the raven's ear, a knowing smile on his.

"And I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>My GOD the ending was soooo rushed, and I haven't updated in a while, so I hope you guys are a little bit satisfied (I'm sorry Silver, I didn't manage to get much angst in there, but after 'Married Couple', you will get your angst! I vow it!)<strong>

**So, yeah, the next one should be 'Married Couple' from Mikan27lover! I'm gunna have fun with that 'cause it's pure unadulterated fluff! Also, if you haven't already, check out my new story 'Possessed'!**

**~Until next time!**


	16. Married Couple

**Author's Note:** So this one turned out a little different than how I planned. I planned on Sasuke and Naruto to be not together, but doing a load of couple-y things before they got together, but for some bizarre reason, angst attacked me! (A Wild Angst has appeared!) So, you have this- but don't worry! It's not angsty forever!

I hope you like this Mikan27lover!

**Warnings:** Yaoi (SasuNaru), angst, cussing and FLUFF! (Yes, I managed angsty fluff!)

**Disclaimer:** I, unfortunately, don't own Naruto or his companions… what would you guys think the manga would look like if I did? (Hint: There would be Unicorns)

* * *

><p><strong><span>Married Couple<span>**

Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke had always been best friends. Their parent's knew one another, being best friends, so it only seemed natural that their children would become friends too. Naruto's older brother, Kyuubi, was Itachi's classmate, the two of them being tight friends, and Naruto and Sasuke had formed a sort of bond between them. Initially, the two had started out with a rough path, what with Sasuke thinking that the blond was a total moron and refusing to acknowledge him in any way. However, in Junior School, when the blond was being beaten up by some older children, Sasuke had stepped in. Nobody picked on the blond but him; and even when he did it, it was for jest and not for meanness. So, little Sasuke, aged only seven, had stood in front of the ten-year-olds, fist planted in the leader's face firmly, knocking him flat on his back whilst he stood protectively in front of the blond. Shocked, the bullies had run away, a lesson that had been harshly learned of how not to mess with the blond whilst Sasuke was around.

It didn't stop the bullies when Sasuke wasn't around, though. Poor Naruto, when he was stuck in detention, or walking home alone, would be cornered and beaten by bullies. Why? Naruto never knew. He was a nice boy- albeit a bit of a trickster- but he never hurt anyone. Maybe the others were just jealous that he had such a cool friend like Sasuke. Nevertheless, Naruto never found out the reason why he was so hated by the other children. Dejected, Naruto would walk home alone, tending to his bruises and cuts before his parents had time to see them and question him.

One day, however, Sasuke had walked in on the group of boys beating the blond in the detention room. By now, the two were in High School, their friendship only strengthening over the years. Sasuke growled lowly in his throat as he saw what the others were doing and approached them, swiftly knocking them all out, one hit to each boy. He angrily turned towards the blond whose eye was starting to darken and his arms bleeding slightly.

"Dobe! Why didn't you defend yourself?" he asked, pissed off. Ashamed, Naruto looked down and to the side, avoiding his best friend's gaze. Frustrated, Sasuke approached him, gently taking the blond's chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting it so that sapphire met onyx. Sasuke calmed down as he looked into his best friend's eyes, but still not getting any response.

"Don't worry dobe, I won't let them hurt you; no matter what," Sasuke muttered, pulling his friend in for a hug, which the blond returned gently, wincing when his injuries were jostled.

As the two boys grew older, their closeness just grew with them. They had made many other friends, but the two of them would never replace the other- hell, they had even gone without dating or even kissing another person due to the other one getting jealous and interrupting. Of course, Naruto would never forget the time when he walked in on Sasuke being pinned to the wall by a redheaded Fangirl who was closing in on the raven. Without even knowing why, Naruto had run up to the girl and punched her in the face, fuming. Then there was the time when a shy girl had approached Naruto with a Valentine's Day card, and after he had been presented with it, placed it in his locker, only for it to disappear during the day. The best friends' other friends were always slightly cautious of the other's relationship, whispering about it when they couldn't hear. About how they seemed just too close to be best friends. How they acted almost affectionate with one another. A prime example was their nicknames such as 'Teme' and 'Dobe'. When they were uttered, it was with a light affection dancing in the eyes of the other. After fights, they would always look over one another gently, tending to each other's cuts and bruises (Sasuke being even more thorough than the blond).

Nevertheless, their friends would notice the little things about the two that they themselves didn't seem to notice. One day, the group had been sitting in the college cafeteria, eating lunch. Naruto –being a messy eater- somehow managed to smear chocolate pudding on his cheek, and instead of wiping it off with the back of his hand, Sasuke had grabbed the nearest napkin and wiped it off for the blond with a gentle look in his eye and the usual affectionate mutter of 'dobe'. Naruto had beamed at the raven after that, not noticing the strange looks his friends were giving them.

Another example was when the raven slept over the blond's house, they would never go into a separate room or bed; they'd share, and vice-versa when Naruto was at Sasuke's house for the night. On more than one occasion, they'd woken up, knees touching or a hand lightly touching the other's. Light touches to let them know that the other was there. It reassured them that the other wasn't leaving; that they would always be best friends. As they moved into University, they shared a dorm with one another, often waking up facing one another where they'd fallen asleep talking. They'd then moved out together, sharing a two-bedroomed apartment. However, one day, just one innocent question seemed to throw the whole relationship into chaos…

"Sasuke-kun, will you go out with me?" Haruno Sakura asked the raven as she stood by his apartment complex after the two had gone shopping for Naruto's birthday present. Sasuke's eyes widened at the question, and he clenched his fist around the bag, not knowing what to do. Sakura was a close friend of his, and he'd never noticed that the girl had liked him in that way. Of course, the usual reply of rejection was slipping from his lips, when they were suddenly halted. He gazed into Sakura's eyes, seeing the questioning and almost sadness occupying the seafoam-green depths. It confused him. Usually, when fangirls asked him out, they would have confidence and lust in their eyes- Sakura looked as though she really didn't _want_ to ask the Uchiha out on a date- it was almost as if she was being forced. This just enforced his decision to reject her.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but no. I'd still like to be your friend though," he told the girl, whose shoulders sagged- however it was as though she was sagging in relief. Sasuke tilted his head to the side, watching the young woman's actions carefully.

"Yeah, I'd love to still be friends with you," she told the raven with a bright smile, all sadness gone from her eyes. Sasuke blinked as Sakura skipped away, feeling slightly confused at the whole ordeal.

"Huh," he muttered to himself, turning on his heel and shoving his hands in his pockets, intent on heading to his home. As he rounded the corner, however, he bumped into a smaller form. His eyes widened as Sasuke looked down to see Naruto rubbing his nose where it had collided with his chest. A small smile stretched on Sasuke's face as he saw the blond and he rolled his eyes.

"Dobe, you're so clumsy," he gently reprimanded, then confused when Naruto just shoved past him without another word. Sasuke blinked at the reaction, his eyes following the blond as he made his way to the elevator, rapidly pressing the button. Sasuke's smile morphed into a frown and he approached the blond, standing by his side and entering the elevator with him. It was painfully silent, and when they both entered, their hands collided as they went to press the button, and Naruto drew his back with a slight flinch. Sasuke was now growing concerned. Naruto had yet to look at him or even acknowledge him, so he decided he'd try and start a conversation.

"How was your day at work?" Sasuke asked as the elevator ascended, no reaction being gained from the blond apart from a small hand-grab to the hand that wasn't holding the bag with the blond's present inside. Sasuke tilted his head. Something was definitely wrong.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, and Naruto just shook his head, lacing their fingers together, and in the smallest voice asked,

"Can I stay in your bed tonight?" Sasuke blinked down at the blond, but clenched the tan hand tighter, reassuring Naruto slightly.

"Of course," he replied, which in turn had Naruto leaning against him, head tilted to rest on his shoulder. It was in the reflection of the elevator mirrors that Sasuke saw that Naruto's usually cheerful blue eyes were red-rimmed. Sasuke's own eyes widened in shock, but he kept quiet, waiting until they were in the comfort of their own apartment before asking the serious questions. The elevator stopped a few floors before theirs and a man with grey hair pulled into a ponytail stepped in, fiddling with his glasses. Sasuke noticed how the grip on his hand had increased when a glare was sent their way. The elevator continued going up, and Sasuke panicked slightly when he noticed tears spilling from the blue eyes. When they reached their floor, he pulled the blond out, still joined at the hands and hastily unlocked the door. When they were in the comfort of their own apartment, door closed and locked, Naruto took his hand from Sasuke's and pulled the raven into a hug, wrapping his arms around the pale neck and pulling him down. Shocked, Sasuke slowly placed his arms around Naruto's waist and pulled him closer, feeling the trembling sobs wrack throughout the smaller man's body and the hot tears snake down his neck as Naruto buried his head there. Naruto's body was cold, Sasuke noted, as he cautiously made his way to his bedroom with the other male still in his arms. He sat them both down on his bed and pulled away after dumping the bag onto the floor, brushing a stray blond lock back so he could see into distressed and devastated eyes. Fresh tears were still leaking from them, and Sasuke then noticed that there was a bruise forming on the blond's cheek. He gently touched it, feeling his heart break a little when Naruto winced.

"Who did this to you?" he asked in a low and dangerous voice. Naruto just shook his head however, grabbing at Sasuke's long, dark coat. Naruto ran his fingers over the fabric, clutching it tightly and then releasing it over and over again. After a few minutes of this, Sasuke sighed and removed his coat, handing it to the blond, who then seemed disinterested, dumping the coat onto the floor. He then started to fiddle with the bottom of Sasuke's jeans, and the raven sighed, realising that Naruto needed some sort of 'Physical Sasuke Comfort' as he'd dubbed it over the years.

"Get changed into your pyjamas. I'll make you some ramen and we'll watch a movie together, okay?" he told the blond, who nodded and reluctantly let go of Sasuke's jeans. The raven walked Naruto to his room and let him change in privacy whilst he went to the kitchen and made the microwavable ramen. He also made Naruto a mug of tea, putting it in his favourite mug, adding the right amount of milk and over the amount of sugar that Naruto usually had. He then went to the cupboard and pulled out the blond's favourite biscuits for dunking in tea, placing the packet beside the giant, orange mug. The microwave beeped and Sasuke took the ramen out, placing it in the blond's favourite bowl. He grabbed the ensemble of comfort and headed out into the living area, placing it all on the coffee table that took residence in front of the fairly large television. After that, he went into his room and took out his double quilt, taking it back to the sofa, seeing that Naruto had taken residency in the centre, hugging his knees to his chest, dressed in his orange plaid pyjama shirt and grey flannel trousers. Sasuke sighed and sat next to the blond, placing the quilt over them, feeling disheartened when Naruto only slowly ate his ramen and dunked his biscuits forlornly, tears still clinging to his lashes and dripping down his face. Sasuke had never seen him in this state before, and it was tearing him apart. Nevertheless, he placed his arm around Naruto's shoulders and drew him in close, grabbing the remotes that were on the arm of the sofa and changing the source on the television so he could browse through the movies on the external hard drive that was chock-a-block with different films.

"What movie do you wanna watch," he murmured into the blond's ear, earning a shrug in return as Naruto just clutched the mug in his hands tighter.

"C'mon, Naruto; talk to me," he gently coaxed, not at all liking how Naruto was so despondent. This comment went ignored, and Sasuke looked hopelessly at his friend before clicking on the 'Humour' folder and choosing a random film. Naruto looked up to Sasuke and gave him his mug, which was now empty. Sasuke smiled at the blond and took it from his hand- their fingers brushing- and placed it at the foot of the sofa. Naruto then fully leaned into Sasuke, closing his eyes for a while before reopening them. Sasuke's large hand skittered comfortingly through his hair, trying to calm him down, which only worked slightly. Naruto knew that he was hurting the other by not talking, but he didn't think that he could. If he opened his mouth, he was afraid that he'd throw up- he didn't want to relive the experience from the day that had just been. As it was, he laid his head on Sasuke's chest and put his feet up on the sofa, watching the movie through tear-filled eyes. All he wanted to do was have Sasuke to himself, he wanted to be as close to him as he could- he was his pillar of strength. Naruto liked Sasuke. More than he thought he should. He was almost certain he loved him, but he just went with strong friendship, not wanting anything complicated to arise. After all, a prime example of what could go wrong had happened today. He pressed himself closer to the warm body beside him, well aware that he was freezing cold- even though the heating was on and he was under a thick double quilt. Needless to say, when Sasuke felt how cold Naruto was, he was shocked. He paused the movie that he hadn't been concentrating on and turned, panicked, to face the blond.

"You're freezing, do you want to go to bed?" he asked Naruto, who looked up to him, a silent pleading in his eyes as he responded with that look. Sasuke pulled away from Naruto and turned the television off, only stopping to exit the quilt and wrap it around Naruto as the blond got up from the sofa. Together they made their way to Sasuke's room in a silence that felt as though it would tear Sasuke in half if he didn't get the blond to speak soon. Naruto had never been so quiet in his life, and it was scaring the raven. The two of them climbed into Sasuke's bed and settled down, Naruto pressing himself up against Sasuke as much as he could and closed his eyes. He was practically lying on top of the other boy, and sighed in a slight relief when the pale arms snuck around his waist, warming the back of his body. Sasuke swallowed slightly, still not pleased with the sudden mute of a friend he'd acquired.

"Goodnight Naruto," Sasuke whispered, hoping for at least a reply of 'goodnight'. However, all he received was a small nod and a little squeeze before the two of them fell asleep.

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><p>Naruto awoke in the early hours of the morning.<p>

At about three in the morning, to be quite precise.

He was cold and tired, not to mention upset; but he couldn't do anything about it. The news he'd acquired yesterday just made him feel even worse, not to mention he'd been beaten up on the way home for wearing a 'Pride' wristband. He just shook his head and hung on tighter to his best friend, not noticing the flutter of the eyelids as he disturbed the other's sleep. It was at this point that Naruto couldn't take it any longer. He hated keeping everything bottled up, and he could see how upset he was making Sasuke by not talking. And so he decided to whisper into the darkness all of his troubles, hoping that it would lift at least a tiny fraction of the crushing weight that was laying waste to his soul. Of course, in his haste, he didn't realise that he'd woken Sasuke up, and that the raven had heard everything ranging from how the blond's older brother had been diagnosed with tuberculosis the day before and his parents getting divorced. Sasuke didn't know what to do as he lay there with the blond on top of him, breathing out all of his fears and worries into his collarbone. Of course, after feeling the tears dampen his shoulder, Sasuke couldn't take pretending anymore and sat up in the bed, arms still around the blond as tan shoulders shook.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Naruto whispered, still being hushed by Sasuke, who was rocking him backwards and forwards, making comforting noises.

"It's okay, dobe," Sasuke muttered into the blond's hair, pressing gentle kisses to his forehead at the same time. Naruto shuddered out a breath and just clutched at Sasuke's pyjama top, inhaling the scent of his best friend. Sasuke blinked away all tiredness and pulled back from the blond, looking him in the eyes.

"Do you want another cup of tea?" he asked, knowing that in this state, Naruto wouldn't be able to get back to sleep- and Sasuke didn't want to leave him on his own. Naruto nodded, replying with a meek 'yes please' before Sasuke stood up and went into the kitchen and made Naruto another cup of tea. In the bedroom, Naruto's breathing just shallowed as he realised how much he really relied on Sasuke. To him, it didn't seem fair that the man was taking so much time out to care for him. Naruto wrapped his arms around his knees and hugged them to his chest, leaning his cheek on them as well. He faced the side of the room where on the raven's dressing table there was a picture of the both of them at the local park they had visited for a picnic. They had asked a woman with her child to take the photo, and she obliged, smiling at the two of them. A small smile overtook Naruto's face as he stared at the picture, not realising that Sasuke was in the doorway with his mug of tea, watching the blond smile with soft eyes.

"Naruto," he muttered, making the blond jump and the smile vanish from the tanned face. Sasuke sighed and sat next to Naruto who was cocooned in a quilt, handing him the mug of tea, which the blond accepted, sipping on it. Naruto sighed in content when it was bordering on warm and hot with the right amount of sugar and milk. He closed his eyes, willing back the tears that threatened to come, and smiled gratefully at Sasuke, who seemed to be a little relieved at the action. He sat down next to the blond as he sipped his tea, carding his pale hand through the blond locks once again.

"Are you gunna be okay?" Sasuke muttered, worried for his long-time friend. Naruto nodded over the rim of his mug, not trusting his voice to stay steady or wanting Sasuke to catch the obvious lie that would fall from his lips. Sasuke just sighed and placed his hands over the blond's taking the mug away from his mouth and placing it next to the photo frame. Naruto voiced his complaint with a little whine, but Sasuke ignored it.

"Naruto Uzumaki, stop lying to me!" he told the blond, who shrunk back at the stern voice, but Sasuke didn't let up.

"You've been acting strange for weeks now, and I've only confronted you today because I could see how upset you were!" Sasuke almost yelled at him, and briefly, Naruto felt a twinge of pathos for his mother. Was this what she had felt like when she was being yelled at? Being accused of lying? Naruto just cringed and faced the other way, not meeting Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke, however, was having none of that and placed his hands on either side of the blond's face, forcing blue to look into panicked onyx.

"Tell me what's going on! I want to help you!" Sasuke yelled at him, heavily breathing. Naruto blinked, not giving anything away. How could Sasuke help him when he was the problem? Sasuke growled when he received no further response and let go of Naruto's face. Once this action had been completed, Naruto stood up and grabbed his cup of tea before heading towards the door.

"Thanks for the tea and chat. But you need sleep," Naruto whispered, walking into his own room to a bed with cold sheets and no Uchiha. Sasuke just gaped at the place where Naruto had disappeared and growled slightly, punching his pillow in frustration.

"Fucking dobe," Sasuke hissed darkly, moving to chew on the corner of his pillow in frustration. Nevertheless, he flopped down on his bed and wrapped himself in his covers, musing of how they smelt of the blond. Sasuke sighed and inhaled deeply, letting the calming scent wash over him. However, he tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep, only giving up when he realised that there was no hope of it happening. Letting out a small huff, Sasuke decided to try and talk to the blond once more, and if Naruto didn't want to talk, then he'd leave him to sort out his own problems. With one final sigh of resignation, Sasuke clambered off of his bed and dragged his feet to the room next to his. He paused at the door, just hearing a small shuffle where Naruto was obviously trying to get comfortable in his bed, but obviously failing. Without invitation, Sasuke entered the room, eyes instantly being drawn to the shifting lump under the covers and Naruto's irritated face. Sapphire clashed with onyx and the former widened, making the shifting stop.

"Teme! I told you to go to sleep!" Naruto almost yelled, and Sasuke wanted to sing with relief that a little of Naruto was shining through the depressed shell from earlier. Sasuke just rolled his eyes however and stood at the foot of the bed that was drenched in orange sheets, arms crossed over his chest.

"Dobe. Tell me what's wrong; now!" Sasuke demanded, managing to shut Naruto up for once. Naruto swallowed and fiddled with his pyjama sleeve, realising that Sasuke wouldn't give up. He took a deep breath, calming himself and bracing for the yelling that was sure to come.

"IthinkI'minlovewithyou," he mumbled all in one go. Sasuke just raised an eyebrow at the jumbled, quiet statement.

"What? That sounded like you said you wanted a re-run of 'Winnie the Pooh'," Sasuke told the blond, who's face had darkened to an intense crimson.

"Well, that would be nice, but what I wanted to say was 'I think I'm in love with you'," he repeated, looking downcast, staring at his hands. Sasuke stood there, frozen. He had expected to be dealing with grieving over Kyuubi, hate at the people who'd beaten him up or just ranting at the general unfairness of the world.

There was no way he had prepared for a love confession.

Well, a semi-love confession as Naruto wasn't entirely sure what he felt for the raven, but he knew it was more than friendship and brotherly affection. Sasuke's arms fell limply to his sides and he stared at the blond as if seeing him for the first time. Shock cancelled everything else in his systems, as he just sat on the end of Naruto's bed, facing the troubled Uzumaki. Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, before closing it again, and then actually asking the question.

"H-how long? Wh-why? Wh-when? How?" Sasuke questioned, internally killing himself for stuttering and his voice cracking. Naruto fiddled with his hands, a deep blush still staining his face.

"W-well, ever since High School, really. I- I mean, the way we acted- the way we act now- I always felt as though we were newly-weds. I was so happy. You knew everything about me; cared for me. Hell, you even know how to make my tea and how I like my baths," Naruto waffled, choking slightly.

"And I can't help but feel that I know everything about you too! We- I just feel that we're a match made in Heaven. I mean, at first I thought I was being ridiculous- we were just best friends- but then that time you dated Ino for a while, I felt insanely jealous! We'd never allowed each other to date, and then all of a sudden, you pull in this blue-eyed blond out of nowhere and say that you're dating! I felt as though my heart had been crushed. And when you kissed her on Prom night… let's just say I wasn't crying because ma and pa had argued; they still loved each other very much at that point," Naruto whispered, ashamed of the truth. Sasuke just sat there, taking it all in. How had he not noticed it before? The way that Naruto acted around him, how the blond always knew everything about him. Then there was the fact he knew everything about the blond and more; he was practically the blond's husband! He worked longer hours and more shifts to come home to a tidy apartment that had been cleaned by Naruto, as well as a light hug and a 'Welcome Home' whilst the blond wore an apron and cooked dinner. They lived together and got on really well. They had their odd arguments now and then- but didn't everyone? And then there was the blinding fury he'd felt when he'd learned that Naruto had been asked out on a date by one of his co-workers down at the diner the blond worked at.

He still didn't know how to categorise his feelings though.

He didn't want to tell the blond he loved him in return, in fear that it wasn't the right emotion and he'd be hurting his friend. But as Sasuke had established, they weren't exactly friends; and they were above brotherly affection, too. Maybe a crush? No, too High School-y. Love, as stated earlier, wasn't what Sasuke wanted to admit to in case it wasn't what he felt. He didn't lust after Naruto- after all, there had been no wet dreams involving the blond, only calm serene dreams with the two of them living happily together. He then pictured himself properly kissing the blond and felt heat rush to his face and a lower part of his body. It didn't make sense; he thought to himself. He'd seen Naruto naked a few times- hell they'd even shared baths on occasion! - but nothing withdrew this reaction. Unless it was because these feeling were being called to the surface that he'd started to have the thoughts. Cautiously, Sasuke looked at the blond and took the tanned hand in his own. Naruto's eyes met Sasuke's with questioning and Sasuke sighed.

"I'm not going to say that I might be in love with you too, but I know that there's something between us, and I want to see what it is." Sasuke started to explain, earning a slightly disappointed nod from the blond, but Sasuke soon fixed it when he leant forward and placed a kiss on Naruto's lips, relishing in how soft they were. Naruto sighed and leant into the kiss, which made Sasuke's stomach perform somersaults as they moved their mouths together gently. When Sasuke broke away, he stared at the blond, whose eyes were still shut and his breathing heavy.

"I really, _really_ like you, Naruto and I really hope that I do love you; because when we're together, I can't help but feel like we're a married couple, too." Sasuke told Naruto, who had a small smile on his face as his eyes slowly opened to reveal sparkling blue that were miles happier than what they had been earlier.

"Teme, do you want to go to the park tomorrow?" Naruto asked gently, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"It's already tomorrow, moron; but yes, I do," Sasuke replied, feeling that it was worth it when a blinding grin was sent his way. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat, but he was still refusing to call the emotion love just yet; nevertheless, he leant in close to the blond and whispered in his ear.

"Dobe, do you want to be my lawfully wedded boyfriend?" he asked, a smirk on his lips. Naruto's eyes widened and he felt his heart jump over a fault line of beats at what Sasuke had just said. He squeezed the pale hand in his and pulled back to gently peck Sasuke on the lips.

"I do."

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><p><strong>0_0<strong>

**Yeah, completely different as to what I had planned. Hell, I even planned a sort of Epilogue, but I didn't. I guess I'm just really lazy with endings ^^; Anyways, Mikan27lover, I hope you enjoyed this, as well as all you other viewers!**

**Also, do you guys remember my two-shot 'Teacups and Carousels'? Well, I'm going to be writing another chapter for it! I'm not too sure if I should make it a Christmas chapter, or just an 'Extra-see-what-happened-next-with-proper-SasuNaru' chapter. I'd like your views on that!**

**Anyways, you guys have been amazing- thank you so much for your time and reviews, favourites and follows; it makes me feel fuzzy inside. If I could, I'd marry all of you, you wonderful people!**

**~Peace out, and Goodnight! ;)**

**PS: I've ran out of prompts, so if you huys could give me one, that'd be great, if not, the next one is probably between 'Hold my Hand' and 'Heaven' :)**


	17. Nightlight

**Author's Note:** Yay! I got more reviews than usual on the last chapter, I must've done good- I also got two prompts/requests. One was from Mikan27lover for 'Soundless Voice' and another was from a 'Guest' with something to do with childhood. Now, seeing as I'm more in the mood for childhood fluff at the moment (that and I've just done a request for you, Mikan ;) ) I decided to go with a childhood SasuNaru fluff- and as childhood fluffs are, this is gunna be quite a short chapter.

**Warnings:** SasuNaru and SO MUCH FLUFF YOU WILL DIE!

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto- except for the night-light. That's mine :3 And, when I looked it up, I was surprised to see that Eric Kripke owns 'Boogeyman'. That's an epic film!

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><p><strong><span>Nightlight<span>**

For someone growing up on his own, Uzumaki Naruto had never once been told that there were no monsters in his wardrobe; or that there was no monster under his bed; and so he'd always stay up late, wondering if the ghoulies were going to get him. That was until his teacher bought him a night light. Umino Iruka had a soft spot for the blond, and would always spoil him a little, especially seeing as the seven-year-old mostly fended for himself what with his great Uncle Jiraiya always off on trips to help with his 'Writer's Block'. So the brunet adult had bought the blond a night light, hoping to suppress all of the child's worries. And it worked.

Well, it did until Naruto met Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke was an angsty child for the age of eight. His parents had died in a car crash, and he was left alone to be raised by his older brother, Itachi. Itachi had told Sasuke that there were no such things as monsters, and this had been reiterated by his parents (when they had been alive, of course) so of course he knew that Naruto's fear of 'things that go bump in the night' was irrational. He proceeded to tell the boy this when he had been invited for an impromptu sleepover. The blond-haired boy had been adamant about having the silicon ghost nightlight. It bathed the room in a soft, red glow, and Sasuke found it difficult to sleep that night, being used to the pitch darkness that his room usually provided whilst the blond slept peacefully. Needless to say, that when the Uchiha eventually did get to sleep, he cursed the nightlight to hell for disrupting his nightly pattern.

Even when Naruto stayed at Sasuke's for the evening, he had to bring along the nightlight; and where it was soft, he'd most of the time be hugging it whilst he slept, which in turn made a slightly jealous feeling creep up inside the raven. He wanted to be the one that gave the blond comfort, not the stupid nightlight! However, Sasuke refused to admit that he was jealous of a nightlight, and would gladly tolerate the sleepless nights- after all, if he wasn't asleep, he could just watch for hours on end as the angelic blond slept with a tiny smile on his face. He was only eight years old, but Sasuke knew that he had a full out crush on the blond boy, and would give anything to see him happy. However, one evening, Sasuke turned up at the blond's house for the evening to see that the nightlight was nowhere in sight. Confused, Sasuke questioned the blond.

"Dobe, what happened to your nightlight?" Sasuke asked innocently, not at all expecting the blond to start crying.

"Ero-sannin broke it!" he wailed, launching himself into his best friend's arms. Sasuke stumbled slightly at the force, but hugged the blond back never the less. His glare shifted to the office that held the blond's great uncle, and he couldn't help but feel a small amount of loathing go towards the man for upsetting his blond. As much as he hated the godforsaken nightlight, Sasuke also couldn't stand to see his crush so upset. Sasuke's glare was drawn away from the office, however, when he felt Naruto tremble in his arms.

"The monsters are gunna get me!" he whimpered into his friend's chest, and Sasuke sighed, stroking the blond locks in return.

"The monsters won't get you, Naru; I'll make sure of that!" Sasuke mumbled into the smaller boy's ear, and a teary blue locked with a determined onyx, and a watery smile overtook the lips of Naruto as he gazed into Sasuke's eyes.

"S'SKE-KUN!" Naruto wailed, pulling the raven in for a restricting hug, which made Sasuke choke on air. At that moment, the raven was really worried for his ribs, so he gently patted Naruto on the back, as if hoping this action would get his friend off of him. His action worked, as no sooner than two seconds later Naruto had pulled away, a blinding grin on his face.

"You're the greatest, Sasuke!" he burbled out happily, placing a soft kiss to the pale cheeks that then turned pink at the action. Sasuke just let out a small 'tsk' and shoved his hands in his pockets, facing in the opposite direction to the blond, who was still smiling.

"So what are we going to be dong tonight?" Sasuke pondered as they walked into the living room, becoming cautious when Naruto grinned deviously.

"D'ya wanna watch a film?" the child asked, obviously noticing Sasuke's hesitance in replying.

"What type of film?" Sasuke asked cautiously, aware that what Naruto had picked out wasn't going to be the usual 'PG' rated film. The mischievous smile just grew as Naruto stood on his tiptoes, reaching for the 'Adult' shelf and pulling down a DVD marked 'Boogeyman'. Sasuke's eyebrows shot up at the fact the blond wanted to watch such a film, but shrugged anyway, knowing that he'd have the job of calming the blond down afterwards. So he shrugged and sat on the sofa whilst the blond put the DVD in, chuckling evilly as he did so. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and pulled down the blanket that was hung on the back of the sofa and covered them both with it, placing an arm around the blond when he leant against him. Sasuke watched the movie with bored eyes, the whole 'horror' genre not fazing him in the slightest, whilst Naruto yelled and squeaked where any other person would. After it had finished, Naruto was clinging onto Sasuke with an unbearable amount of force.

"Naruto, I can't feel my arm!" Sasuke complained, and the blond reluctantly let go, still looking around the room fearfully.

"S'ske, I wanna go to bed," Naruto whimpered to his friend, and Sasuke sighed, pulling away from the blond and making his way up the stairs to the familiar bedroom. Naruto never let go of Sasuke's arm the entire time, only when they changed into their pyjamas did the blond let go. After that, he climbed into bed, and Sasuke went to turn out the light.

"Sasuke! NO!" Naruto yelled from the confines of his duvet and pillow mound. Sasuke rolled his eyes and flicked the switch anyways, ignoring the terrified yell and slipping into bed beside the blond anyways.

"Scaredy-cat," he muttered teasingly, not at all minding when Naruto scooted closer to him and wrapped his arms around the pale pyjama-clad waist.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered gently to the raven, who just hummed in return, closing his eyes to sleep.

"Don't leave me, okay?" Naruto more demanded than anything. The demand was not needed, however as Sasuke just sighed and pressed a soft kiss to his best friend's forehead.

"Of course not, dobe," he muttered, earning a light squeeze in reply. Needless to say that both boys slept perfectly that evening.

When Jiraiya walked into his great-nephew's room that morning, it was to see the two boys cuddled up together amongst a mound of pillows and duvets, content smiles on their faces. A rough chuckle emitted from the throat of Naruto's guardian as he watched Sasuke shift closer and Naruto squeeze the raven tighter.

"And to think this is just 'cause I broke his nightlight."

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><p><strong>Sorry this is so short, but I can never make childhood fluff last long : Dunno why. ANYWHORE! The next one I'm going for is… I dunno. I want to do another request, but I also want to write one just for the fun of writing one- so we'll see what wins :3**

**Thanks so much for the feels :P**

**Also, I have Twitter, if any of you want to follow me? I give info on how far I am with updating, so you're not left in the dark ;) the name's xCastielsGirlx on there too- just looik for a little Naru icon :P**


	18. Meeting the Parents

**Author's Note: **Okay, due to personal reasons, I've not been able to get into the mood of writing for quite a while, so I feel terrible about that; but I feel I owe you guys an update, so I'm doing a prompt, because my mind is too frazzled to do anything at the moment. This is a prompt from SilverLegacy7 with the phrase 'Meeting the Parents'. I know I said I wanted to freelance, but with my issues at the moment, it's best not to ^_^; I'm gunna freelance in the next chapter, seeing as I already have in mind what I want to do.

I hope you like it, Silver!

**Warnings:** Fluff, SasuNaru, swearing and lemon :P

**Disclaimer: **If only I could have them, then I'd be at least a tad happier- but unfortunately, Masashi .K. owns all.

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><p><strong>IMPORTANT NOTE: This is set in the ninja-verse as if the Uchiha Clan Massacre never happened- so everyone is fine and dandy.<strong>

**THIS CHAPTER IS 'M' RATED FOR A REASON!**

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><p><strong><span>Meeting the Parents<span>**

Uzumaki Naruto was extremely nervous. Hell, he'd rather be facing off three thousand rouge Nins with nothing but a Spork to defend himself than have to do what his boyfriend of eleven months was asking him to do.

"Y-you want me t-to meet your parents?" he stuttered, a small amount of fear and nervousness crawling into his stomach at the thought of such a thing happening. A pair of midnight black eyes stared exasperatedly down into the cerulean blue of his smaller boyfriend's, and Naruto swallowed at the look.

"T-teme; what if they don't like me?" he whispered, his fear then being transferred into his words, and Sasuke sighed, pulling Naruto into a small one-armed hug, kissing his temple at the same time.

"Dobe. They'll love you. I promise," Sasuke muttered, pressing another kiss into the blond locks, and Naruto swallowed, dread still consuming him, but he kept quiet. He was certain that Sasuke would stand by him no matter what his parents said… but then there was the issue of Sasuke's father. He was a traditional man who believed in his sons marrying and producing an heir. Sure, Fugaku knew that Sasuke was gay and that he had a boyfriend- but how would they react when they found out that it was Naruto, the hated Jinchûriki? Would they order Sasuke never to see him again- or worse, would they try to get Naruto sentenced to prison or death for actually being in love? After all, the villagers had it drilled into his mind that he shouldn't be worthy of love. Years of mental and emotional abuse had engraved that into his thought pattern. He was lucky that Sasuke even liked him. Hell, Naruto was scared just being in love with the raven. It was as if he was taking something he wasn't meant to- like when you sneak a cookie before dinner from your mother's secret cookie jar.

"You're mind's going a mile a minute, Naruto; are you alright?" Sasuke asked once more, seeing that his boyfriend had blanked out and his breathing was increasing. Onyx locked with sapphire to see that they were laced with a slight fear.

"Do you really want me to meet your parents that much, Sasuke?" Naruto whispered, and said raven's eyes widened- usually Naruto would call him teme or bastard, but not when he was scared or nervous (or lost in the heat of passion). Sensing that this was a big deal to Naruto, Sasuke just kissed him soundly on the lips, before leading them to the bedroom and pushing the blond gently onto the bed, still trying to kiss away his worries and cease the stress with his wandering hands. Naruto responded positively, letting his hands wander up Sasuke's shirt before trying to tug it off. Sasuke sat up and pulled the garment of clothing from his body before latching his mouth back onto the tanned neck and sucking, giving him a hickey.

"Don't worry about what they say, Naruto- I'll never leave you," he muttered against the tan skin, which had Naruto mewling in return, and slender fingers made their way into inky black locks to pull him down into a passionate kiss.

"Teme," he breathed, and Sasuke smirked at the flushed blond beneath him, who could easily feel the clothed arousal digging into his thigh. Torturously, Sasuke's hand slid down and into his blond's jeans to tease Naruto's own length.

"So, are we going to meet my parents at some point?" Sasuke asked, arching a brow as he started to rub Naruto through his boxers. Naruto moaned and bit his lower lip, which made Sasuke want to devour him even more.

"Whatever, teme. We'll go to see your parents- just finish what you've started, fuck!" he hissed, moaning when Sasuke's hand left its previous place and slid into his boxer shorts as well, feeling the heated flesh.

"Hn, excited are we?" Sasuke teased, even though he couldn't really tease seeing as he was in a similar state- but he knew he could hold on longer. After all, they'd only first had sex about two weeks ago. Naruto groaned as Sasuke started to pump him, and he bit his lower lip.

"Fuck, Sasuke, just take me!" he whispered huskily into the quiet room. Sasuke smirked at that and shed his and Naruto's clothes far faster than any human or ninja. Naruto smirked as he lay back and lifted his hips so that Sasuke could prepare him.

"Impatient?" Naruto remarked, which made Sasuke growl playfully, but then he groaned when he saw Naruto raising his hips.

"You're lucky I'm patient enough to prepare you," he told the blond, who smirked, but then his head fell back as Sasuke started to prepare his entrance.

"T-teme. Using your Sharingan is cheating!" Naruto complained as his lover continued to tease his prostate over and over again.

"I don't see you complaining," Sasuke retorted as he finished preparing the blond and lined himself up with Naruto's entrance.

"You ready?" he whispered, placing butterfly kisses to the tan neck, which moved as the owner nodded. Swiftly, Sasuke pushed in with one thrust, which had Naruto's nails scratching at his back and leaving harsh, red marks. Both males hissed at the slight pain, but as soon as they started moving, it was forgotten in the pleasure. As they both neared completion, Sasuke started whispering sweet nothings into Naruto ear, telling him how he'd never leave him, regardless of what his family or parents said. This brought tears to the blue eyes, and they poured down his cheeks.

"I-I love you, Sasuke," Naruto stuttered, before he was completely overthrown by pleasure, his sticky fluids covering his boyfriend's chest as said boyfriend released into the blond.

"I love you too, Naruto," Sasuke replied, having caught his bearings and now that stars had stopped erupting behind his eyelids. He smiled at the blond, who was panting beneath him before he pulled out, enjoying the slight moan of dislike.

"I'm not going to meet your parent's right after we've had sex," he told the raven lazily, who just snorted in return.

"We'll have a shower first then, ne?" Sasuke offered, not giving Naruto a chance to answer before he was swept up from the bed, being held like a newlywed bride. Naruto squeaked in protest, but didn't have much of a choice as Sasuke placed his lips over the blond's, effectively silencing any protests. They broke away when they were in the bathroom, and Sasuke placed Naruto down onto the floor, pressing another kiss to the tanned male's lips.

"C'mon, Naruto," he muttered gently, taking a tanned hand in his own pale one and leading them both into the shower to wash away the remnants of their previous activities. However, it would just prove to be in vain, as when Sasuke was in the shower, he couldn't keep his hands to himself.

"T-teme, where are your hands going?" Naruto squeaked when he felt hands skirting his sides and heading lower and lower.

"Nowhere suspicious," Sasuke replied smartly, a smirk set onto his face like cement. Naruto grew red when he realised what Sasuke wanted to do, and his hand shot quickly to the temperature controller and turned it so that it was completely cold. Sasuke hissed at the feeling, and Naruto smirked triumphantly. However, it was short lived as he felt the hands go towards their destination anyways.

"Sasuke, we're not having shower sex!" Naruto sternly told the raven, who just sighed and raised his hands to cup the tanned cheeks that were being doused with warm water.

"Dobe, I was teasing," Sasuke replied softly, taking his boyfriend in for a gentle kiss that had Naruto melting against the wet body.

"I know, I'm just stressed about meeting your parents," the blond muttered, staring up at Sasuke through half lidded eyes. Sasuke just scoffed before reaching for the flannel and lathering it with soap. Once it was sudded, he rubbed it gently over the blond's chest with gentle strokes, cleaning off any evidence of their previous activities, as well as smoothly cleaning the tanned backside. Meanwhile Sasuke was getting the same treatment with another flannel, the two of them gently working to cleanse the other. Eventually they finished their joint shower and exited into the steamed bathroom where two towels hung dutifully on the heated hanger. They both took one before heading into the bedroom to change with many gentle touches and kisses in between. The blond sat between Sasuke's legs as the raven dried Naruto's hair with the blow dryer, a happy grin on his face as he studied one of Jiraiya's scrolls. Sasuke then turned the heat away from his lover and started to dry his own hair whilst Naruto drew tiny patterns on the pale knee before him with his fingertips.

"Naruto," Sasuke groaned after he had turned the blow dryer off, placing his chin atop golden locks. There was a small hum in question as a tanned hand slid down to gently rub a pale calf.

"C'mon, stop playing about- we need to go meet the folks," Sasuke whispered, pressing a kiss into the hair he was leaning on. The raven felt Naruto stiffen, but he reassured him by wrapping his arms around orange-clad shoulders.

"I promise you'll be fine. Itachi's an asshole, but you already know that so there's no trouble," Sasuke reassured, hearing Naruto gulp, but nodding nonetheless.

"Let's get going then," Naruto muttered, grabbing his headband from his desk and tying it around it his head, showing his status of Chuunin, whereas Sasuke was a slightly more important Jounin. As they reached Naruto's front door, the blond took in a deep breath, ready to face the outside world. They stepped through the door into the street, and Sasuke instantly placed an arm around the thin waist. They made their way towards the Uchiha complex, stopping to talk with a few of their colleagues or friends when they were talked to. Eventually, they had ended up outside Sasuke's front door, the small blond shaking as he saw the foreboding dark wood. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and squeezed the blond tighter, pulling him closer to his side before stepping inside.

"Ah, Otouto- I see you've brought Naruto-kun over," came a smooth, deep voice from the living area. Naruto winced, breaking out of Sasuke's grip to bow to the elder.

"Kon'nichiwa, Itachi-senpai," he blushed, still in a deep bow, not wanting to be scolded for not showing respect. Sasuke scoffed and Itachi raised one of his dark eyebrows at the show of respect and nervousness.

"There is no need for such formalities, Naruto-kun. As Sasuke-kun's boyfriend, you need not bow in my presence," The elder Uchiha sibling told Naruto, who stood up straight, a blush prominent on his cheeks.

"Gomenasai, Itachi-senpai!" Naruto squeaked, even more nervous that the ANBU captain was telling him not to be so formal. At this point, Itachi's eyebrows had disappeared beneath his hairline, and Sasuke sighed frustratedly, pulling Naruto back to his side and linking their fingers.

"Dobe, calm down," Sasuke muttered, and Naruto let out a quiet 'gomen' for his boyfriend, which was then brushed off with a light kiss on the cheek.

"Aniki, this is Uzumaki Naruto- my boyfriend," Sasuke stated proudly, not letting the tanned male out of his grasp. Itachi's eyebrows then reappeared and he nodded to the blond, who nodded in return.

"As Sasuke-kun's older brother, let me congratulate you on retrieving the icicle from his backside," Itachi smirked, which caused Naruto to blush and Sasuke to scowl.

"That's enough Itachi- now if you don't mind, I'm going upstairs. Please inform Kaa-san and Otou-san that Naruto will be staying for dinner," Sasuke told his brother, who just smirked and nodded, eyeing Naruto as he retreated to Sasuke's room with an arm still around his waist.

"Anou, Kaa-san, Sasuke-kun has his boyfriend over for dinner this evening!" Itachi called to his mother, whom was in the kitchen, preparing said dinner. Mikoto leant out through the doorway, an apron covering her clothes.

"Kya! Sasuke-kun brought his boyfriend over! Kawaii desu!" she squealed, dashing back into the kitchen and dumping a load of red food-dye into the rice. Itachi smirked in the direction of his brother's room, internally smirking when he realised how he could make this evening much more… amusing.

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><p>Uchiha Fugaku was a hard, sturdy man of forty-two who above all, prided himself in the fact that his sons could achieve anything they wanted to. He was portrayed as a man with much pride, and the fact that his youngest son was gay should've been a tarnish on his record- so people thought. In truth, Fugaku couldn't have been more proud of Sasuke for staying true to himself and going after what he wanted- much less achieving it also. He knew that his son had been dating his partner for almost a year now- but the fact that he hadn't met the boy was very depressing. However, as he hung his cloak on the hook in the hall to his home and kissed his wife on the cheek, he was in for quite a shock.<p>

"Sasuke-kun's brought his boyfriend over!" Mikoto gushed, dragging her husband into the kitchen so he could help prepare dinner. Old raven brows furrowed as he took into account the fact that there was a heinous amount of red rice on their plates.

"Koi, do you not think this is a bit over the top?" Fugaku asked as Mikoto placed red onigiri onto their plates.

"Of course not!" she beamed, dumping the pans into the sink and whisking up all plates at once (how, Fugaku would never know) and set them down at the table along with a pot of green tea.

"DINNER!" she yelled in a voice so loud, Fugaku had to cover his ears. Itachi arrived first, slouching with his hands in his pockets as he knelt before the meal at his designated place. Mikoto had placed Naruto next to Sasuke to help make the boy feel more at ease- even though she hadn't met him yet, Mikoto could tell that he'd feel nervous. From down the hall, the Uchihas could hear a small mumbled argument, before Sasuke finally appeared, his right hand in a death grip of his boyfriend's tanned left, dragging him towards the table. They stopped a few feet from the piece of furniture, with Naruto looking down at the floor, and Sasuke staring into his father's eyes, pride adorning his features.

"Kaa-san, Otou-san; this is my boyfriend, Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke sated, and Naruto just glanced towards the two elders before bowing deeply once more.

"Kon'nichiwa Uchiha-sama, Uchiha-sama!" he squeaked, bowing to both Mikoto and Fugaku, who's eyebrows had shot into their hairline at the formal greeting. Naruto was still bent over in a bowing position, nervously chewing on his lower lip.

"_Uzumaki_ Naruto?" Fugaku quizzed, coming to stand in front of the still bowing teen. Naruto nodded, flinching slightly when he felt a hand atop his head.

"Stand up straight," Fugaku told him, and shakily, Naruto stood up, fear laced in his eyes as he took in the imposing form of the Uchiha head. Then, shockingly, Fugaku crouched down to the blond's height, before poking him on the forehead. In the background, Mikoto had to stuff her fist in her mouth to stop her from squealing at the cuteness of the blond. Fugaku smirked at Naruto's shocked expression and knelt in front of the table. It was Mikoto's turn now. Instantly, she glomped the blond, pulling him into a hug.

"Oh my gosh you're so _cute_! I knew Kushina had good taste in men!" she squealed, rubbing her cheek against Naruto's, scaring the blond. Eventually, Sasuke deemed it prudent to save his boyfriend from his mother's clutches.

"Mother- are we going to eat now?" Sasuke asked, gripping Naruto's hand in a death grip. Mikoto backed off, her face flushed from over-exuberance. She nodded and made her way to sit beside her husband, a giant smile on her face.

"Of course!" she smiled, waving for the blond to sit in front of her. The couple internally winced when they saw the amount of red rice placed onto the table, and Sasuke glared to Itachi, who just smirked in return, eating his own portion of plain rice. Nervously, Naruto began to eat. However, he was so worried, that his hands were shaking, making it so that his food kept falling back onto his plate. Sasuke just rolled his eyes at the action, picking the fallen food up with his own chopsticks and raising it to the blond's lips.

"Dobe," he commented gently, feeding Naruto his food. At that moment, three sets of cheeks went a deep red. Naruto was clearly embarrassed by the show of affection, and the other two were from Itachi and Mikoto, who had never seen this side of Sasuke and found it utterly adorable. Fugaku remained impassive on the outside, but on the inside was raving about how he had such a considerate and adorable son. Deciding to break the ice, Itachi cleared his throat gently, and began asking Naruto questions.

The evening went on with Sasuke's family asking about his life, finding it disgraceful how the villagers had treated their friend's son. Naruto had just grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, telling them that he was used to it by now. Needless to say, the killing intent rose dramatically after that statement and it took several reassurances from the blond to calm it down. He told them embarrassing stories of Sasuke, and Sasuke's family did the same, the lot of them laughing, and Sasuke being very grumpy, until he looked at Naruto's laughing and happy face, feeling a small smile twitching on his lips at the same time. It took a while for them to realise that it had gotten dark out, and when Naruto pointed out that he needed to get going, he was met with offers to stay the night. Naruto blinked, looking around to the people at the table who were all wearing a form of smile, and Naruto felt a grin overtake his features.

"Thanks so much!" he told them, and they grinned in return. After the dishes had been cleared away- Naruto insisted on helping, but was shot down as Mikoto made several clones to do the work- the family had settled down in the living room to partake in the evening's events, which was relaxing by the fireplace, watching some cheesy horror movie that scared Naruto and Mikoto half to death. The other males sat there impassively, watching with no emotion as the 'scary' movie played. Needless to say, Naruto and Mikoto had bonded strongly through hiding under blankets through that. Soon, it was time for bed, and Sasuke had dragged Naruto to his room, but before they could enter, Fugaku stood in their way, arms folded across his chest.

"I don't want to hear anything incriminating tonight, boys," he sternly told them, and Sasuke replied with a small 'hn' whilst a blush threatened to consume Naruto whole. Fugaku smirked before turning away and making his way down the hall to his and his wife's room. Itachi then sauntered past the both of them, a smirk on his face.

"All you need to do is keep it down," he told them, winking before entering the door across from Sasuke's. Said raven just rolled his eyes and pulled Naruto into his room and guided him onto the bed. They changed in silence- Naruto borrowing one of Sasuke's old t-shirts- and climbed into bed. Before they could settle down, however, Sasuke rolled over, on top of the blond- pinning him down, his lips not too far from the others.

"So, dobe- how was meeting my parents?" Sasuke whispered, and Naruto hummed in reply, eyes darting to the lips that were hovering above his own.

"Teme- I don't know why I was so scared," and with that reply, he leaned up to capture Sasuke's lips in a light, chaste kiss, which Sasuke decided to deepen. There was a light moan in reply, and Naruto placed his hands on the pale cheeks above him.

"Sasuke," he whispered into the darkness, and he could feel the smile that was forming on his boyfriend's face.

"Naruto," he replied, rocking his hips slightly so that the blond had to stifle a groan, biting the back of his hand as he did so, his breath picking up in pace. Sasuke leant down and caught a tan earlobe between his teeth, before breathing a small confession into the tanned ear.

"I love you more than life itself. Marry me?" he asked, and Naruto's eyes shot wide open, the blue dusting over with glossy tears that streamed down his cheeks as he pulled Sasuke to him.

"Yes. Yes!" he yelled, voice muffled by tears. Sasuke smiled gently, pulling away to press a passionate kiss to the ones beneath him. Briefly, a muffled phrase was heard through the walls.

"Dammit, Sasuke! I told you to keep it down!" Fugaku yelled, covering his head with his pillow, as Mikoto giggled.

"Isn't it lovely that Sasuke's found someone?" she asked her husband, who turned to her, cheeks flushed.

"I just don't want to hear their activities!" he groaned- but all was forgiven when Itachi came through their door, teddy in hand.

"Can I sleep with you guys tonight- I have a bad feeling," he moaned, and Mikoto and Fugaku sighed, making room for their eldest son. Back in Sasuke's room, the raven had Naruto pinned to the bed and was kissing him passionately, hands wondering down to the boxer shorts.

"Sasuke, where are your hands going?" Naruto asked breathlessly. Sasuke smirked as his hands just travelled lower.

"Nowhere suspicious," he told the blond, whose cheeks burned an intense red when he felt a hand inside his boxers.

"TEME!"

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><p><strong>=) I feel happy now that I've actually updated- I just feel really bad that I haven't updated in quite a while. That and the fact that the next chapter of Possessed won't be out until the New Year- but the next chapter of THIS bad boy will hopefully be out before the New Year.<strong>

**But just in case it isn't, I hope you have a brilliant Christmas/whatever doesn't offend you (personally I celebrate Stevemas- Christmas is too mainstream) and a wonderful New Year- unless you celebrate the Chinese New Year- I'll well-wish you nearer the time ^_^**

**~Please review!**


	19. New Year's Wishes

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry this is so late out- as you can see, this was meant to be posted in the New Year, but a few personal issues were in the way, which is also why I haven't been able to upload "Possessed". Hopefully that'll be out soon though :)

I all hope you had a good New Year

**Warnings: **Swearing, slight angst and SasuNaru :3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either the pie or any Naruto Characters :'( Masashi owns both.

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><p><strong>This is an 'M' rated chapter due to sexual themes<strong>

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><p><strong><span>New Y<span>ear's Wishes**

Uchiha Sasuke hated moving houses- sure this was only his eighth time, but usually everyone he moved next to was a young mother with a screaming brat, or a bunch of teenagers who like to get drunk, high and then shag some random girl. He sighed once more and rushed his hands through his spiky raven hair, not caring about what his neighbours would be doing. Although, he was curious as to whom his neighbour would be. When he'd come to check the apartment out, they'd obviously been out due to the fact there was a poorly written sign on the door saying 'gone shopping- be back in an hour or so' signed with a rough 'N'. Sasuke shook his head whilst opening a box marked 'Kitchen' written in neat and elegant Kanji and started to place the cutlery away. He didn't need many bowls- four at most- because he was alone. He'd had strings of girlfriends and boyfriends but he'd never asked anyone to move in, nor moved in with anyone- they were mostly one-night stands where the person had gotten attached, but Sasuke let them have a try, and if he felt it wasn't working, then he'd leave them- he wasn't so mean that he'd never want anything to do with them, but he didn't want to be with someone who he didn't like.

And it was on that thought that his concentration was shot by a knock on the door. He sighed wondering if it was his brother coming over to poke fun at the apartment he'd bought- it wasn't the best, but it would do the job of housing him until he could buy an actual house. He slouched towards the door, hands deep in his skinny jeans and pulled the door open only to be met with the most beautiful blond he'd ever seen.

"Hiya! My name's Naruto- I'm your neighbour! Welcome to the block!" the blond- Naruto- greeted, a bright smile on his face. Sasuke's eyes widened at the abrupt introduction and he straightened, all in all making himself about a foot taller than the one at his door.

"Uh, hi," Sasuke replied, feeling a bit awkward. At that point, Naruto opened his eyes, them being closed as he'd been smiling so hard they'd squinted shut. At this, Sasuke had to stop himself from having a large nosebleed before going into cardiac arrest. They were the most beautiful shade of blue he'd ever seen. The smile had faded a bit to make room for the opening of the eyes and Naruto shifted a package in his arms.

"I don't know if you've got room in your fridge, but I baked you a pie! 'Cause y'know, when someone new moves in, you bakes him or her pie! It's apple pie- oh but what if you're allergic, I didn't think of that! Maybe I should take it back and-"

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered, a small smirk on his face as the blond rambled on, but unfortunately, Naruto heard his small remark.

"Teme! I spent ages baking this pie, and now I'm worrying and you're insulting me! You're such a jackass! Honestly, I feel sorry for your girlfriend! How would she put up with this? Maybe you're mad 'cause you don't like pie! I mean, when I saw you, you looked like someone who didn't like sweet things so I made sure the pie wasn't too sweet- I didn't put in much sugar, and it was special not-sweet sugar from the US! Dammit!" Sasuke's eyes widened at the rambling before he sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead at the headache that was oncoming.

"Listen, Naruto- thanks for the pie but I'm in the middle of unpacking so if you could-"

"Oh okay- I'll help!" he gushed, a massive grin on his face as he pushed past the stunned raven into the apartment and placing the pie on the kitchen that was joined onto the living room area. Eventually, Sasuke broke out of his reverie and faced the invader with a slight scowl.

"What are you doing?" he asked, pissed that the blond had the audacity to just waltz in and start putting his things away (but he was totally ignoring the fact that the blond somehow knew where he wanted all his things and how good a job he was doing). Then something clicked when Naruto ignored and kept putting things away in an extremely efficient and professional manner.

"Naruto- how many times have you moved?" Sasuke asked, and at this question, the plastic cup that Naruto was holding slipped from his grip and rolled away. Blue eyes widened and he instantly grabbed it before it got too far.

"You don't seem to have a lot of things- are you living on your own?" Naruto quizzed, avoiding the question. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he followed Naruto into the living area to help him set up the television.

"Yeah," Sasuke's answer was short and clipped, as was his temper. The blond wouldn't answer any questions about himself and it was pissing him off to no end!

"Cool! I live on my own too- well, not necessarily. I have a cat called Kyuubi!" Naruto grinned, and Sasuke relaxed a little, having managed _finally_ to get some information about the blond.

"That's nice. I like cats. What type is he?" Sasuke asked, hoping to get a little more information seeing as this was a topic Naruto was comfortable discussing. The blond grinned and plugged in several wires, grabbing an extension lead from the box and plugging in the plugs so they weren't scrambled and messy.

"He's a ginger tabby- I rescued him when I was a kid, so he's quite old," Naruto replied, a grin still on his face as they finished with the living area and moved onto the bathroom, placing all the toiletries out and towels into the airing cupboard. Sasuke had to admit, with the blond there, the apartment was getting sorted out three times as quick. Everything was out where he wanted for the maximum ease so he knew where it was, and before he knew it, the only thing left to sort out was his bedroom. Sasuke entered the room, as did Naruto, but Sasuke realised that the blond was quite reluctant to do so.

"C'mon dobe, let's get this sorted." And despite the fact an insult was thrown his way, Naruto didn't react. Sasuke looked to Naruto, confused at the lack of reaction. As soon as he saw those depressed eyes, he knew something was wrong.

"Yo, Naruto- everything okay?" Sasuke asked, hands in his pockets and tilting his head to look into the blue eyes that were hidden behind the bright fringe. Still, Naruto didn't respond, eyes just locked on the bed frame in the centre of the room.

"I shouldn't be in this room. The bedroom is a personal place- design it how you want!" Naruto grinned, upset demeanour entirely gone as he just smiled widely, eyes crinkling. Sasuke's own eyes widened in response, but then softened when he realised that the blond was giving him personal space. What made his heart melt though, wasn't the fact that Naruto knew of personal space, but the fact that even though he barely knew him, he'd helped him move in and baked him a pie which- as he had found out earlier when they'd taken a break- was actually really nice.

"Okay then, I'll most likely see you soon- also, I'm having a party tomorrow, do you want to come?" Naruto asked innocently.

"That's New Year's Eve, right?" Sasuke asked, walking with Naruto to the front door. Naruto nodded securely and Sasuke hummed.

"I've got no plans, so I guess I could make it," Sasuke told the blond, who grinned brightly.

"Great! It's from seven onwards! In the evening! It would be silly to have a morning party- nobody's up and wants to get drunk. Argh! That made me sound like an alcoholic! I'm not! It's just usually people get drunk as these parties- I mean, I don't'. I'm usually the sober one," at this he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Sasuke just blinked.

"O-kaaay then! I'll hopefully see you tomorrow, Sasuke!" the blond chirped, before opening the door and almost running into someone.

"Ah! Sorry sir!" he yelped, bowing in apology before sliding past and entering the door opposite the raven's with a quick slam. Sasuke blinked and frowned at the reaction before his eyes slid to meet equally dark onyx as his own.

"Ah, Itachi, come in," he mumbled, letting his older brother in. Itachi smirked and entered the apartment, slightly shocked that Sasuke had unpacked so much already.

"Wow, Otouto, I never thought you'd be this far unpacked with that cute blond in here," he joked, earning a growl from his little brother. Itachi just patted his head in a consoling manner before spotting the pie.

"Did he make you this- I thought you hated sweet things," Itachi told the raven, who shrugged and cut himself another slice.

"It's not sweet- made with some un-sweet sugar from the US," Sasuke explained, and Itachi, the lover of sweet things – not that he'd ever tell someone this- internally mourned the pie. Sasuke shook his head with a small smirk as he witnessed his brother's inner grief at not being able to eat the pie.

"Anyways, Aniki, what do you need?"

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><p>Sasuke nervously stood outside Naruto's door. He didn't know why, but he was nervous. Maybe it was that he was meeting new people, or even because he was seeing the blond.<p>

'_Dammit, Sasuke! Pull yourself together! It was just a dream!_' he scolded himself. Yes, Sasuke had dreamt about the blond that night, and it was quite scary seeing as nothing sexual had happened when they met- in fact, all they'd done was insult each other and help move furniture about.

"Are you gunna stand there all evening, teme?" a voice asked, and Sasuke scowled as he was brought from his thoughts, only for his mind to completely shut down at the sight of Naruto. He looked gorgeous in a pair of faded jeans and a –God forbid- faded orange hoodie. However, Sasuke just let his inner-self pick out where he'd ravish first before giving his reply.

"Hn, dobe." Sasuke replied with a small smirk, handing the blond two six-packs of beer. Naruto smiled slightly before walking into his apartment, letting Sasuke follow and close the door. There was semi-loud music pumping in the background; loud enough for people to sing and dance to, but quiet enough so that if you wanted a conversation, you didn't have to yell. There was a table filled with confectionaries and alcohol where most people were gathered, and Sasuke had to admire how Naruto had set out his apartment so that so many people could fit in.

"Hey, Naruto!" a dark-haired man called, wobbling over to him, already drunk. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the person and eyed them suspiciously when they slung an arm over Naruto's shoulder and pulled him close to him.

"Sai- do you need something?" Naruto asked, obviously uncomfortable. The man- Sai- chuckled and pulled him closer.

"No, just wanted to say hi," he reassured, dark eyes locking onto Sasuke's, a threat clear in them. Naruto, however, was completely oblivious to the mental war between the two. Sasuke glared at Sai and Naruto shifted slightly.

"So, this is my new neighbour, Uchiha Sasuke!" Naruto introduced, having found out Sasuke's name whilst unpacking yesterday. Sai nodded at Sasuke slowly and Sasuke repeated the movement. Naruto sighed at this and rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, I thought you two emo jerks would like each other- jeez, gawd!" Naruto complained, and Sasuke had to smile slightly at Naruto's antics, with the way he lightly drawled his words.

"Idiot," Sasuke completed the quote and Naruto beamed at him.

"Hey! You have a personality!" he cheered, clapping his hands, which made Sai glare at Sasuke for obviously stealing his line.

"So, Sasuke, have you finished the pie?" the blond asked, and Sasuke nodded.

"It was lovely, thanks," the raven replied, still receiving dirty looks from Sai, who then turned to Naruto, a pout on his lips.

"Moa, Naru-chan, why didn't I get a pie?" Sai complained, and Sasuke's left eye twitched. Naruto chuckled slightly, still a bit uncomfortable.

"Because you're not my new neighbour, Sai. I made you a pie when you moved into your house last year, remember?" Naruto told his drunk friend, who then chuckled and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against Naruto's temple.

"Ah yes, I remember- very nice cherry pie," he winked at the other and Naruto shoved himself away from the raven, a deep blush taking over his cheeks. Sasuke growled at the action and instantly turned his ice glare to Sai, who just smiled through it all.

"You're not getting jealous, are you?" Sai asked gleefully, wrapping an arm around Naruto's waist and pulling the blond closer than he'd have liked.

"Sai, get off me!" Naruto sternly told the other as Sasuke's temper just increased, and he stepped forward, fists clenched. Sai remained deaf to Naruto's orders though, which infuriated Sasuke and frustrated Naruto.

"Let go of him. Now." A voice stated, and Sai shrunk back in the presence of a short redheaded man with teal eyes and a tattooed forehead.

"Ah, Gaara; I didn't know you'd be here," Sai admitted sheepishly. The redhead- Gaara- glared heatedly at Sai before turning to see Naruto and Sasuke. The blond had moved next to the latter once Sai had let go and was breathing heavily.

"I'm a close friend, of course I'd be invited. Now if you don't mind, you'll be drinking water for the remainder of the evening- and _not_ of the Russian kind," Gaara threatened, and Sai slunk away, glaring and mumbling about protective friends and delicious blonds that were now off-market.

"Uchiha Sasuke, I presume," Gaara stated, bringing Sasuke out of his angered state. Sasuke nodded and extended his hand for Gaara to shake, which he did.

"Sabakuno Gaara- childhood friend of Uzumaki Naruto," he introduced formally, making Naruto blush and sigh.

"I'll go get you a drink, Sasuke- anything you want?" Naruto asked, smiling painfully. Sasuke blinked, registering the strained emotion before smirking slightly.

"I'll take a Southern Comfort and Coke please," Sasuke told Naruto, who nodded and went off in the direction of the kitchen. Gaara instantly turned to Sasuke after that.

"Keep Naruto away from Sai," was the instant phrase that left the redhead's mouth, and Sasuke blinked at the bluntness of the statement.

"Okay- want to tell me why?" Sasuke asked cautiously, and Gaara narrowed his eyes at the question.

"Surely you witnessed the events that just took place, or were you too busy drooling over the blond that you didn't see that Sai was forcing himself upon Naruto?" Gaara noted, a small growl seeping into his words. Sasuke growled in return but just clenched his fists.

"Why do _I _need to?" Sasuke clarified, and Gaara smirked, surprising Sasuke.

"Because you're his neighbour. Neighbour's look out for one another," Gaara stated easily, nodding to a person behind Sasuke, who just so happened to be Naruto, carrying Sasuke's drink.

"Jesus, teme- why'd you have such a girly drink?" Naruto huffed, giving the raven the glass. Sasuke smirked in return, brushing his pale fingers over the tanned ones. A small blush took over the scarred cheeks, but Naruto continued as if nothing was the matter.

"I mean, I'm already teased for being small and effeminate- now I get you this drink and people are teasing me saying I'm gay and all that shit!" Sasuke blinked at that comment and felt something uncomfortable stir in his lower abdomen.

"What's wrong with being gay?" Sasuke asked, praying to God that his voice didn't crack. Naruto's eyes widened at the comment and he placed his hands in front of his face, waving them in a rejecting motion.

"No, no, no! There's nothing wrong with being gay! Love is love!" Naruto protested, and Sasuke felt a small amount of relief fly through his mind at the fact the blond wasn't rejecting homosexuals. Gaara smirked at the small debate, arms folded across his chest as he watched the two lightly banter about various different topics before becoming bored and slightly uncomfortable as they drifted towards personal topics. He silently slipped away to the kitchen to notice that Sai was drinking a glass of water.

"You've lost him," Gaara noted, and Sai scowled at the fact the redhead had pointed out.

"You don't think I know that?" he hissed, still sour over the fact that he'd lost out on the kind blond due to his own pushy antics.

"I told you when you were with him to treat him better; it was your own doing." Gaara reminded, barely managing to keep the raven calm with his prodding into his personal life. He managed to dodge the fist that was sent his way, and chuckled when Sai growled.

"Just stay away from him," Gaara advised, before walking off and joining his sister, Temari, for a round of shots.

Naruto sat in the corridor outside his apartment, revelling in the cool air; it was hot and stuffy in his apartment, not to mention that his friend Sakura and her boyfriend, Lee, had taken up residence on the couch and were making out. Behind him, the door opened and orange light spilled out onto the landing.

"Dobe, what are you doing out here without a jacket on?" Sasuke asked, his original drink only half gone. Naruto smiled slightly before sighing and leaning on his hand.

"It's hot inside- I needed some fresh air," the blond replied, and Sasuke nodded, silently sitting down beside Naruto. As the two sat in companionable silence, a round of cheers could be heard from coming inside.

"TEN!"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, who was now holding a ginger tabby that he assumed to be Kyuubi, and scratched the cat behind its ears.

"EIGHT!"

Naruto looked to Sasuke with a small smile that had the raven's insides squirming in delight, and he reciprocated with a small smile of his own.

"SIX!"

The two leant closer to one another, and Kyuubi looked up, mewling in questioning as they just neared closer and closer.

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

The cries of "Happy New Year" weren't heard by the couple on the porch, who had pressed their lips to each other's in a gentle kiss. Kyuubi yelped and squirmed out of Naruto's hold as the fireworks started, and Sasuke took it as a perfect opportunity to set his glass down and wrap his arms around the thin waist before pushing the blond down onto the floor, never once separating. Eventually the two broke away for air, panting as they tried to draw oxygen back into their abused lungs, but before they could reconnect their lips, the front door opened, and Gaara poked his head out, teal eyes amused at the two men that were on the ground, about to kiss again. Before they could, however, Gaara cleared his throat. An amused smirk swept onto his features as he saw Naruto's red face peer at him from over Sasuke's shoulder, as said raven turned to see the redhead.

"You two may want to get a room," he winked, before going back inside to mingle. Sasuke turned back to see that Naruto was sporting a large blush and had averted his eyes.

"Do you regret it?" Sasuke asked, almost afraid of the answer. Blue clashed with black and there was a light happiness dancing in the former's.

"Of course not, bastard," he whispered, dragging Sasuke down for another, harsher kiss, sucking the pale bottom lip into his mouth, and Sasuke subtly moaned before dominating the kiss once more and breaking away. He then trailed his kisses to the blond's jaw, who mewled happily in return at the attention.

"How about we get a room then?" Sasuke whispered seductively and Naruto's eyes widened before he gasped at the feelings that were coursing through his body.

"I'll take that as a yes then," Sasuke murmured, helping Naruto to his feet before walking the short distance between the two flats and opening his door. The two entered, and Sasuke closed the door, locking it, and then turning around to ravish the blond once more, who was eager to continue what they'd started outside. Blindly they stumbled towards Sasuke's room, and Naruto gasped as he fell backwards onto the bed, Sasuke falling with him and landing between his legs.

"Naruto," Sasuke purred as he kissed up the blond's shirt, reaching the tan neck and latching onto it. Naruto's moaned in return and ran his hands up and down Sasuke's chest.

"'Suke! More!" he groaned, wanting to feel more of the raven, bucking his hips upwards, and Sasuke gasped at the sensation before a feral grin overtook his lips.

"Fine, but just remember, you asked for it!" Sasuke smirked. That was the last coherent sentence either of them heard before they were writhing in pleasure.

* * *

><p>When Naruto awoke several hours later, it was to a dull pain in his lower back and a scent that wasn't all too familiar to him, but had him relaxing in an instant. He could feel that he was pressed up against a hard, naked body, as well as the dried stains between his legs and on his chest that had him blushing with enough intensity to make a fire engine jealous. It was obvious he'd woken before his bed partner, judging by the deep breaths and the rising and falling of the chest he was leaning on, but he really couldn't be bothered to move- not that he'd have any choice to anyways, seeing as he was being held protectively against the toned chest.<p>

There was a light mumble and groan from the sleeping man beside him, and Naruto looked up to be met with clouded onyx eyes and dishevelled raven bed-head. A small smile crept onto the lips of the one who had just woken and he leant down to kiss the blond.

"Morning," he greeted after the kiss that had Naruto flushing once more. Sasuke took note of this and chuckled slightly. Naruto just remained silent, staring at the chest before him, and Sasuke's smile slipped from his face and he gently cupped Naruto's chin so that he could look directly into the sapphire eyes.

"Do you regret it?" he asked, a lump settling in his throat as he thought of Naruto walking out and the two of them not speaking ever again. They were neighbours after all- surely they had to still see one another. Relief pooled in his stomach when Naruto shook his head, but he was still confused as to why Naruto had suddenly become despondent.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, concerned, and Naruto sighed.

"Every year, on New Year's Eve, I make a wish for the New Year- this year I wished to be able to find someone who loves me for who I am... but we've barely known one another and we do this- I'm confused!" Naruto stressed, and Sasuke sighed, realising what the issue was. Gently, he tucked a loose strand of blond hair behind a tanned ear with a slight smile on his face, and Naruto blushed at the intimate gesture.

"Dobe, don't worry about it. Tell you what- would you like to go on a date with me this Friday?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto nodded silently, before grinning at Sasuke. Sasuke smiled slightly after that before gently pressing another kiss to the tanned man's lips, who reciprocated in turn.

"Hmm, maybe we should have a shower," Naruto suggested, however, all thoughts of showers flew from his mind when Sasuke's hands travelled to his naked lower body and started to rub the area.

"Mmmaybe later," he gasped, and Sasuke smirked as he climbed on top of the blond once more, feeling the blatant arousal against his thigh.

"My, my Naruto, you should be patient," Sasuke mock-scolded, earning a groan from the blond below him.

"Fuck you teme!" Sasuke's smirk just grew until it was at danger of splitting his face.

"No, no dobe; it's fuck _you_."

As the two continued in their activities, moans filling the apartment, Sasuke couldn't help but admire the beauty below him and smile slightly. Their climax was approaching swiftly, and when it came, both men thought the same thing.

'_I hope this works out_._'_

* * *

><p><strong>:D I has finished it! Once again, I'm sorry for the lateness, but there were a hella lot of personal traumas throughout the New Year :**

**Well, Happy Chinese New Year? Or have I missed that too? **

**Once more, updates will be coming soon, please be patient and bear with me (lol, bears! Bears everywhere!) – has been reading too much Junjou Romantica...**

**Next one will be either 'Soundless Voice' as requested by Mikan, or one by moi by the name of 'Fantasy'. STAY TUNED! **

**It would make my day if you could review ^_^**


	20. Gaming

**Author's Note:** Yeah, I really need to stop putting previews at the end of chapters if I'm not gunna do 'em :/ Sorry about that- but this one… I've actually had this idea for aaages, and then when I read something, I was reminded of it, and decided that I could condense it into a one-shot and put it here with my collections :) So I hope you enjoy it!

**Warnings:** Yaoi (SasuNaru), slight supernatural themes, violence and swearing (and would you believe that this _isn't_ an angsty chapter?) Do I have to warn you about KibaHina?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any Naruto characters- nor any of the games that are mentioned in this chapter.

**THE GAMES IN THIS CHAPTER HAVE BEEN ADAPTED TO FIT INTO THE SITUATIONS PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY; UNLESS I ACTUALLY KNOW OF THE COMPLETE STORY-LINE (BECAUSE I'VE PLAYED THE GAME) THERE WILL BE ANOMALIES IN THE GAMEPLAY/STORYLINE. SORRY TO ANY HARDCORE FANS OF THESE GAMES WHICH I SCREW UP.**

**ALSO, WHILST I'M CAPS-LOCKING, I FEEL OBLIGED TO APOLOGISE PROFUSELY ON THE LACK OF UPDATES.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Gaming<strong>

"Come join us in our greatest adventure yet." It was a quiet mutter in the games shop, and it came from a blond by the name of Uzumaki Naruto, holding an Xbox game, reading the blurb. He hummed in contemplation before turning to see his housemate half-way across the store.

"Oi! Sasuke-teme! What do you think of this one?" he yelled, earning disapproving looks from the cashier and other residents in the store. The housemate –Sasuke- just rolled his eyes and approached the hyperactive blond, resting his arm on the shoulder of the shorter one. He grabbed the game and read the blurb.

"Come join us in our greatest adventure yet." Sasuke mumbled, and Naruto grinned at the fact that Sasuke had imitated his behaviour, meaning that he was actually contemplating renting the game.

"It's four-player, so Hinata-chan and Kiba can play as well!" Naruto reasoned, and Sasuke hummed, thinking about the four of them actually playing a game together for once instead of his and Naruto's usual intense battles on _Street Fighter_.

"Sounds interesting," Sasuke agreed, and Naruto grinned, before going to see what games Sasuke had pulled out. He frowned when most of them were survival/horror games.

"Left4Dead? Halo? Teme, you know I hate those sorts of games!" Naruto squeaked, and Sasuke shrugged, just leaning into the blond's personal space, his lips mere millimetres away from the tanned boy's.

"Are you scared, Na-ru-to?" he asked, dragging out Naruto's name as he leaned in close, causing a bright red flush to spike across tanned cheeks. Nearly everyone in the store was looking at them, holding their breath for what would happen next. A group of girls in the back corner were drooling shamelessly, their Yaoi DVDs abandoned instantly for this small show. Naruto just swallowed and pulled away, trying to put on a dignified look.

"Of course not; they're just not all multiplayer!" he scoffed and Sasuke snorted in return, taking the batch of games up to the counter and placing them atop it as Naruto went to grab the snacks and drinks that were for sale.

"And for your information, teme, Halo isn't even a scary game!" Naruto retorted, placing the giant bottle of _Pepsi Max_ on the counter along with the heinous pile of unhealthy snacks such as _Haribo_ and _Doritos_. Sasuke just cringed at the amount of junk food, but was relieved when he saw that Naruto had bought him a big bottle of water and a few healthy snacks.

"Welcome to Blockbuster; will you be buying or renting these games?" a spotty silver-haired teen asked, sipping on a slushy, watching the two with a bored look.

"Renting them for a week please," Sasuke told the cashier, who nodded and punched in some numbers on the till.

"Do you have a Blockbuster card?" he asked, his eyes obviously portraying how dumb he thought the question was. Nobody had cards nowadays.

"I have one!" Naruto perked up and pulled out his wallet to produce said card, giving it to the cashier, who scanned it and handed it back to the blond, eyes wide.

"Wow, dude- how long have you been a member?" the teen asked, and Naruto spotted that his nametag read 'Suigetsu'.

"It was my family's from way back when Blockbuster first opened," Naruto told Suigetsu, who's mouth fell open at that, but his eyes widened even further when he saw the list of names on the computer in regards to who had the rights to use the card, and he let out a small squeak when he saw a name on the list nearly every gamer in the world would recognise.

"No way... this belonged Kyuubi?" he asked, and Naruto nodded in return. Suigetsu blinked.

"I've only heard tales of him; is it true he once stayed up for an entire week playing _Alien Trilogy_?" he whispered, and Naruto nodded.

"He made me order the pizza," he added, and Suigetsu squealed slightly.

"Dude, please, please, _please_ can I get his autograph?" the silver-haired boy squeaked, and Naruto nodded.

"Sure thing- he's always welcome to fans as well," Naruto quipped and Suigetsu looked as though he were about to jump over the counter and hug the blond, but a small cough from Sasuke had Naruto grinning sheepishly.

"Anyways, I gotta be going; we've got a whole games week planned out!" he beamed, and Suigetsu glanced at Sasuke to see the raven looking at the blond with a sort of love-struck look. Suigetsu nodded and rung up the total, including the discount from the card.

"That'll be £10.96," he told the blond, who reached in for the money, but his hand was stopped by Sasuke, who looked deep into the cerulean eyes.

"I'll pay," he told Naruto, who huffed angrily, and still withdrew the money.

"No way; I'm paying teme!" he refused and Sasuke growled at him.

"Dobe, you still need to pay Kiba back; so I'm paying," Sasuke reasoned, and Naruto grumbled whilst Sasuke handed over his own money to Suigetsu, who handed him the change, receipt and bag of games.

"Thanks for stopping by!" he told the two of them, and Naruto nodded.

"Thanks, Suigetsu! Have a good evening!" Naruto called, waving his hand to the silver-haired teen, who's jaw had dropped at the fact that the brother of _the_ Uzumaki Kyuubi had known his name.

"He knows my name!" Suigetsu whispered, and the realisation sunk in, and he grabbed the girl who was next at the till.

"UZUMAKI KYUUBI'S BROTHER KNOWS MY NAME!" he yelled in happiness, pulling the girl in for a crushing hug. She squeaked in fear as he swung her around. As soon as he let her go, he realised his mistake. He knew this girl- and this girl did _not _like him.

"DAMMIT SUIGETSU! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" she screamed, punching the silver-haired teen in the face, and subsequently across the room and over the checkout desk.

Outside in the street, Naruto and Sasuke had thrown the goodies into the backseat and Sasuke had climbed into the driver's seat, and put the keys into ignition. Through the rear-view mirror they could see the angry redhead chasing Suigetsu around the store and Sasuke heaved a sigh before pulling out of the parking lot.

"I didn't know your brother was a famous gamer," Sasuke told the blond, who shrugged from his place in the passenger seat.

"You've seen his YouTube channel; I'm pretty sure you're in love with his videos," Naruto commented, and Sasuke looked at him with a confused face when they stopped at a red light.

"Nine-tailed Jinchûriki is Kyuubi?_!_" Sasuke asked aghast, and Naruto nodded, leaning on his elbow and looking out of the window forlornly, and sighed when it started to rain.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto shrugged again, not talking. Sasuke caught on to the unusual silence and frowned.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked as he started driving again, turning left. Naruto nodded, and Sasuke realised how closed off the blond had suddenly become. A moment of realisation later, Sasuke had pulled over and faced the blond.

"Do you think I'll abandon you for him? That I'll use you?" Sasuke asked, already knowing the answer. Naruto, however, denied it and shook his head. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and leant in closer to the blond, placing his hand on the blond's upper arm.

"Naruto, I had a famous brother; do you think I don't know how you feel? People who I thought were my friends would use me to get close to him and if they didn't know that we were related, as soon as they found out, they'd abandon me for him. I know how you're feeling, so don't lie to me and tell me otherwise," Sasuke told Naruto, who sniffed in return, wiping his eyes.

"Y-you're such a teme; making me cry," Naruto sniffed, trying to chuckle when Sasuke pulled him in for a hug. When they broke away, Sasuke pulled the car back into the road and continued driving to their house.

"What pizza do you want for dinner tonight?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto shrugged, pulling out the _Domino's_ pizza brochure from the glove compartment.

"I dunno; we should wait until later in the evening- that way we'll know what size we want after the insane amount of snacks," Naruto told Sasuke, who hummed in agreement as they drove down the road. Naruto reached forward to turn the radio on, and sighed in contentment when his favourite song started to play. Sasuke glanced to his left to see how happy the blond looked and smiled slightly at the content look on his friend's face. A blaring horn snapped him back into action and he applied the brakes harshly as he stopped at a red light just in time, the two of them bouncing back then forward from the momentum.

"Jesus, Sasuke! What the hell!" Naruto squeaked from low down in his seat, hand gripping to the handle above his door. Sasuke mentally berated himself for slipping up so bad and endangering both himself and Naruto.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," he replied stiffly, and Naruto huffed, sitting back up in his seat, a bit weary as Sasuke drove on, eventually pulling into the drive of the house they shared with two others.

"What was on your mind anyways? It's been a while since you've been distracted enough to almost get us both killed," Naruto joked slightly, but the underlying worry was clear in the blue eyes. Sasuke just let out a 'Hn' in reply and Naruto scoffed.

"Oh yeah, that's cool- just almost get us killed and 'hn' in reply!" Naruto ranted, and Sasuke grabbed the goods from the back seat whilst Naruto pulled the house keys from his back pocket and opened the door, continuing to rant.

"- just being selfish! You must treat me to ramen in apology!" Naruto proclaimed, and at that phrase, Hinata and Kiba appeared from the kitchen and stared at the two.

"What happened?" Kiba asked, aghast, taking in Sasuke's ruffled appearance and Naruto's ranting.

"_Somebody_ decided to almost drive us through a red light and get hit by a truck!" the blond yelled, and Kiba rolled his eyes, knowing of the raven's infatuation with the blond-haired male.

"Oh yeah?" Kiba asked, only mildly concerned- he knew Sasuke was a safe driver; and the fact that they were still there contributed to the fact that he needn't worry.

"Kibaaa! You're meant to be on my siiiiide!" Naruto whined, collapsing over the island in the kitchen as Sasuke dumped the games and snacks onto the side, smiling slightly at the blond and eyeing up his bent over form, dirty thoughts flooding his mind. He was brought from his reverie when something hit the side of his face and he glared at Kiba, who had thrown a peanut at him.

"Look at it this way, Naru; you're alive- you don't need to have a go at Sasuke," Kiba reasoned, and Sasuke shot the brunet a grateful look, whilst Hinata smiled at her boyfriend with a look of adoration. Naruto huffed and stood up straight, folding his arms across his chest and pouting.

"Well, the teme should still apologise," Naruto muttered, and turned to face Sasuke with his pout still in full force. Kiba looked to Sasuke as if to say 'you can't argue with that,' and Sasuke internally sighed.

"I'm sorry for almost killing us at the traffic lights," Sasuke apologised, and Naruto's eyes widened; he hadn't actually expected Sasuke to apologise. Nevertheless, a small blush overtook his face and he cleared his throat, replying with a small 'no problem'. Kiba smiled at the two before moving towards the bag on the kitchen side.

"So what did you two get?" Kiba asked with a child-like joy- as though Christmas had come early, and Hinata approached the bag, a glint in her eyes that the boys were oh-so familiar with. Though she may not have looked like it – what with her sweet, innocent looks, voice and eyes- Hinata was a pretty hardcore gamer at heart.

"L-Left 4 D-Dead?" She asked sweetly, and Naruto nodded, a huge grin on his face, whilst Kiba pulled out Halo with a nostalgic look.

"You chose some really great games!" Kiba praised, and Sasuke folded his arms across his chest with a smug smirk on his face, looking to Naruto, who grumbled silently.

"Naruto was criticising my choices," Sasuke told them both, and two heads snapped towards the blond's direction, both with aghast expressions. Kiba teared up and sniffed, clutching 'Silent Hill' and 'Shadow of the Colossus' to his chest.

"How can you fault such perfect games, Naru?" he sniffed, looking so hurt you'd have thought that Naruto had just killed the man's mother, not insulted a few games. Hinata did, however, look disappointed when she pulled out 'Call of Duty: Black Ops II' from the bag.

"Really, Sasuke? Only pre-pubescent twelve-year-olds play this game," she criticised, and Naruto snorted.

"We should go online and insult their mothers," he suggested, to Kiba, nudging him with his elbow, and Kiba nodded enthusiastically.

"That would be so sweeeeet!" he dragged out, and Sasuke rolled his eyes at the immatureness of the two other males.

"So, what pizza are we having?" Hinata asked, taking the bag of games and snacks into the den, which was complete with an old, large sofa (courtesy of Naruto's older brother), a large 61" flat-screen television, with which many devices were hooked up to and a large music system that was more often than not hooked up to the television so that could enjoy the sound of movies and insulting children to the maximum.

"We were thinking of getting pizza later in the evening after we've eaten the snacks- unless you want to have the pizza first and then eat the snacks?" Sasuke told the girl, who hummed in response, setting the entertainment system up.

"PIZZAAAAAAAAA!" Kiba and Naruto yelled in unison, and Sasuke's left eye twitched at the noisiness. Hinata just sighed resignedly, before walking over to Kiba and pressing a light kiss to the top of his unruly brunet locks.

"Please calm down, sweetheart," she told him, and Kiba blushed slightly, muttering an apology, whilst Naruto snickered at how easily Kiba could be placated by a simple smile and kiss. But then there was the small pang of jealousy that Kiba had someone to do that with. His expression fell slightly as he watched the two bicker gently, smiling and laughing; reminding himself that he couldn't- shouldn't be allowed to- have something like that. A gentle hand touched his upper arm.

"Dobe, you alright?" Sasuke, asked, concerned by the expression he'd seen cross Naruto's face. Instantly it was wiped away by a blinding, fake smile.

"Need pizzaaaaaaa!" he whined, and Sasuke put on a smile, just as fake as the blond's before rolling his eyes.

"Of course your highness," he told the blond jokingly, who chuckled further at that.

"Okay, so what flavours are we getting?"

* * *

><p>Three-thirty in the morning found the foursome all cranky, empty pizza boxes surrounding them, blowing the shit out of twelve-year-olds on 'Call of Duty'. Hinata had an enraged look on her face as one of their team's men was killed and then tea-bagged by the other player.<p>

"Son of a BITCH!" she yelled, then avenging the other's death with a tactical knife. Naruto watched with smugness as Hinata then went to slaughter their base whilst he, Sasuke and Kiba gave her cover and back-up.

"Don't fuck with me you pussy-covered shit!" she yelled over the headset as someone tried to knife her from the back.

'She must be screen-watching!' came a high-pitched, male voice from the television.

'Fucking bullshit!' stated another voice angrily, as Naruto took out someone who was just about to assassinate Kiba.

"It's an online game, dickwad- you can't screen-watch," Sasuke stated calmly, throwing a frag grenade into the building where two snipers were sat, camping.

'Who the hell are these kids?' someone asked, disbelieving as their team completely massacred everyone in the building. Kiba then thought it appropriate to flick on some music, only to piss off the opposing team further when he changed the lyrics*.

"Don't stop, retreating; twelve-year-olds have feelings!" he edited, and Naruto snorted, joining in on the bad karaoke with the original lyrics now, which only served to embarrass Sasuke some more.

"Guys, please stop," Sasuke groaned, and it was met with a flood of agreement from the rest of the people online.

"Shut up! We so have the X-Factor!" Kiba protested, whilst someone obviously pretended to be Simon Cowell.

'That was terrible; you shouldn't be singing at all. It's a no from me,' they stated in a mock accent, and Naruto feigned hurt.

"Why you so mean?" he asked, sniffing, and Hinata took the perfect distraction to go into the enemies base and take their last checkpoint.

"OOOOOOOOOOH! YOU LOST!" Kiba and Naruto mocked, doing a small victory dance.

'Dudes, are you drunk?' came an American voice, and Kiba and Naruto couldn't stop laughing, so Sasuke decided to cut in.

"They're just both idiots high on caffeine and sugar," he stated, to which the man laughed.

'Well, good game- especially to the female,' he added, and Hinata blushed slightly.

"Th-thank you," she muttered, and Kiba stopped laughing to glare at the television, which was now displaying their insanely high score.

"Dude, are you hitting on my girlfriend?_!_" he asked angrily, and there was obvious stuttering where the other was taken aback, and Naruto decided to join in.

"What the hell man; you can't do that! Back off!" he yelled, and the man then disconnected. Sasuke turned the Xbox off then and turned to stare at Naruto and Kiba, the latter who was holding onto Hinata possessively. Naruto huffed and turned to the mountain of games they had yet to play, picking out the one that had caught his eye as a lone game on the shelf. Kiba turned to the blond and looked at the game, reading the blurb.

"Come join us in our greatest adventure yet." He muttered, and Hinata read it over the brunet's shoulder, humming in contemplation.

"What sort of game would be called 'Scarecrow'?" she wondered, reading the title, which depicted a silver-haired man with a mask and eyepatch, his skin hastily sewn together.

"Well I was surprised Naruto picked it out, really," Sasuke added, looking to the blond, who shrugged also.

"You usually don't play western horror games; or watch the movies for that matter," Sasuke reminded the blond, who shuddered at the thought of watching something like 'Grave Encounters'.

"Yeah, well, it looked interesting," Naruto shrugged, and Kiba hummed, taking the disk out of the plastic case, frowning when it had no print on it, looking like a blank disk.

"You sure Blockbuster didn't rip you off with this one?" Kiba asked and Naruto bristled.

"Kiba, my family have been Blockbuster patriots since it opened; they would not rip us off with our membership card," he sniffed indignantly, and Kiba looked at him questioningly.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke muttered to Kiba, who then sighed, a bit envious of how well Sasuke knew the blond.

"Well, shall we play it then?" Hinata asked, PlayStation 3 remote in hand, ready to play.

"Might as well," Sasuke shrugged, changing the output on the television so that it was connected to the PlayStation 3. Naruto shuddered slightly, the action then being mirrored by Sasuke as Kiba placed the disk in the disk tray and closed it. The opening menu popped up and Sasuke selected the 'Four Player' mode. A small box popped up, and Naruto read it aloud.

"To enjoy the gameplay fully, 'Scarecrow' will need to access data from your accounts," he muttered, and Sasuke clicked the 'okay' button, an action that was then mirrored by the other three as they signed in.

'Please insert your name'

The four of them blinked at the odd question, but did as they were told. The menu screen was just pitch black, and the text box stood alone with a white and cream border. Sasuke sighed and looked to the others for reassurance.

"We gunna play then?" he asked, and the other three nodded. Seeing as there was no other reason for delay, Sasuke smirked before clicking 'New Game'. The menu screen vanished, and a light, eerie piano piece started to play in the background, which made all four of them feel uneasy. Hinata shuffled towards Kiba, who leaned into her, whilst Naruto shuddered, jumping slightly when he felt warmth next to him, turning to see that it was Sasuke shifting closer.

"You alright?" he muttered silently, and Naruto nodded. Obviously the tension was getting to the four of them as no-one spoke from that moment on. There was a buzzing noise in the back of their heads, and Naruto felt himself getting drowsy as they waited for the game to load. Gently, the blond leant against Sasuke, eyes feeling heavy. A gentle hand landed on his thigh, and weakly, Naruto looked around to see that the others were also looking sleepy. It was unusual, Naruto thought. Even though they'd been up for the majority of the evening, their need for sleep was usually quite low- having once stayed up for a whole week just playing monopoly (which ended up in Kiba setting the board on fire in the garden, laughing manically and yelling about how Mayfair would rise again from the ashes and bring him ultimate fortune with four hotels).

A text box then appeared on the screen, white text scrolling across.

_It's four in the morning, and you and your friends are playing video games. You have been playing for quite a while, and your rations are low when you decide to play 'Scarecrow'; a seemingly innocent game that you picked up at the store. Of course, it wasn't picked up by the person who would have an interest in this usual kind of game; but by, in fact, the person least likely to pick it up… __**NARUTO.**_

At seeing his name on the screen, Naruto jolted slightly, disturbing Sasuke from his light slumber. Naruto was suddenly awake, cautious and feeling paranoid. He tried to shake Sasuke awake, but he grumbled lightly, his hand just tightening around the tan wrist.

"Sasuke," he squeaked, seeing the text scroll across the screen again. His breathing quickened and he looked to see that Kiba and Hinata were slumped against one another.

_As you begin to play the game, your companions grow sleepy, and you try to wake one of them, but they seem unresponsive. Shall we wake __**SASUKE**__ up? I think we should. And possibly __**KIBA **__and__** HINATA**__?_

At that moment, the other three jolted upright, and Sasuke glanced to Naruto to see that he was paling and sweating.

"Naruto, are you alright?" he asked, concerned. He touched the usually warm cheek to feel it clammy and cold. Sasuke inhaled sharply, and turned to Kiba and Hinata.

"There's something wrong with Naruto!" he panicked, and the other two crawled over to see that Naruto was just gazing at the screen, unresponsive. The others glanced to the screen, wanting to see what it was that had the blond so enraptured. They read the script that was already there, and their eyes widened slightly. More text then scrolled along the bottom.

_Welcome to the game, __**SASUKE, KIBA, HINATA**__ and__** NARUTO**__. In this game you will face your fears, test your gaming skills and find out more than you ever knew about yourself. I commend you on not playing this game alone; it would be far less fun and much harder to complete. Currently, __**NARUTO**__ is in shock; we should get on with the game, ne?_

At the final word, the rest of the writing started to dissolve, and Sasuke, Kiba and Hinata glanced at one another worriedly, Sasuke unconsciously placing his hand on top of the one that was usually tanned and warm, but was now cold and pale. At his touch, Naruto flinched slightly, still staring at the screen, where there was a white dot in the centre which was growing bigger every second. Eventually, it had lit up the dark den and Sasuke moved closer to the blond; Hinata was holding onto Kiba tightly.

"I'll protect you dobe, don't worry," Sasuke muttered into the blond's ear, and there was another slight flinch, but Naruto seemed to relax slightly and his fist clenched where it was on his thigh, Sasuke's on top of it. The only thing Sasuke saw before the bright, white light flooded the room was a slight nod from Naruto, and Kiba and Hinata holding onto one another as if the world was about to end.

* * *

><p>Sasuke awoke to the sound of gunfire and yelling. Explosions sounded in the background, causing him to sit up. Was this a terrorist attack? What was going on? He blindly felt around him, and that was when his eyes adjusted.<p>

'_No fucking way!_' he though in disbelief.

He was in the gardening patch of the back garden in Nuketown; Kiba, Hinata and Naruto sprawled out beside him. He looked down to see that he was dressed in army clothing, a weapon by his side, a headset over his head allowing him to hear other voices yelling, but they were muted. Hinata stirred beside him, and he went and shook her into full consciousness.

"Hinata! Wake up! We're in Nuketown!" he squeaked, Uchiha composure thrown into the wind. Hinata sat bolt upright, eyes wide, weapon in her shoulder.

"Duck!" she told him, and he did so, only for a bullet to pierce through the wood that was sheltering them.

"Get to them to the shed!" she ordered Sasuke, who nodded and dragged Naruto and Kiba to the shed, watching as they were both stirring, panic blossoming in his chest; but it was stunted slightly as he saw Hinata taking out three enemies with her pistol. Sasuke blinked.

"I swear those are meant to be the shittiest weapons in the game," he muttered to himself, glad that Kiba had now woken up, sitting up behind the shed.

"What the-" he went to yell, but Sasuke covered his mouth.

"We're in Nuketown; Hinata's got us covered!" Sasuke told Kiba, whose mouth dropped open, and he hoisted his L98 A2 into his shoulder, leaning around the side of the shed to pick out a sniper in the top window of the house.

"Stop standing there and help, Uchiha!" Kiba growled, throwing a frag grenade into the house, and Sasuke jolted slightly when he felt a hand grab his leg and looked down to see Naruto, looking pale and shaken.

"Nuketown?" he asked, and Sasuke nodded, puling out a tear gas grenade and throwing it over the shed.

"Checkpoint?" Kiba asked Sasuke, who shrugged.

"I can only assume so; it was the last game we played, right?" Sasuke asked, firing two more shots and killing another person. Naruto was kneeling on the floor, still shocked. Of course Sasuke, Kiba and Hinata had no qualms in shooting people; but Naruto was a pacifist; only getting violent when he really needed to. He vented his anger on the games. But the blood that was being spilled in this world was real, and he couldn't handle it.

"Naruto, we're moving out into the house," Sasuke told the blond, who only nodded slowly and climbed to his feet shakily, sprinting with the others into the house, with Kiba saving his ass from a knifing. The brunet had sensed someone around the corner and shot out in front of Naruto, blocking the knife attack with his own, kicking the enemy in the face before stabbing his jugular with his own knife, blood spurting onto his face. Naruto would have fainted if it wasn't for Hinata supporting him up the stairs and placing him in the bathroom, splashing cold water over his face.

"C'mon, Naruto-kun," she said sweetly, as Sasuke and Kiba stood guard outside the door. Naruto shook his head in refusal, but then Hinata placed a hand that was covered in blood over his own.

"It's a game Naruto. This is 'Scarecrow'," Hinata told the blond, who looked up at her, squinting.

"A game?" he clarified. Hinata smiled gently, taking her hand away and wiping two stripes of blood on each of her own cheeks.

"Yes Naruto-kun, a game," she clarified, and Naruto breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth to calm himself down. He caught his reflection in a cracked mirror above the sink, and steeled himself- not even jumping when the gunfire cracked throughout the house, and there were yells from outside the bathroom followed by bangs and grunts. Cobalt blue locked with light lavender, and he nodded.

"Then let's play."

The two men were stood outside the lorry in a defensive position, watching the house for any signs of movement.

"They're moving," one of them muttered, and the other hummed, going to stand up. As soon as he had stood to full height, a bullet shot through his skull, bathing his partner in warm, squishy fluids. He looked around and up to the roof of the house where Naruto was stood, silhouetted against the sun, sniper rifle in his shoulder. The wind was blowing slightly, causing his hair to flutter. The crosshairs of the scope were focused on the other man's disbelieving face, and he smirked before pulling the trigger. At that moment, he slid down the roof and landed on the floor as Hinata charged out from the house, mowing enemies down with just her knife. She ducked as someone went to crack her with the butt of their rifle and kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards, into the arms of a raven who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"Nice to see you," he muttered with a fake smile, before pressing his pistol at the back of the man's head and pulling the trigger, grimacing when brains splattered onto his clothing.

"Gross," he muttered.

"SASUKE!" the yell caught his attention, and he ducked as Kiba pointed his rifle at him and shot the man behind him.

Naruto ran and dodged the oncoming fire, the mantra of 'it's just a game' deafeningly loud in his own mind. He slid underneath the lorry and appeared on the other side, throwing knife launched into some unsuspecting victim's throat. His friend beside him looked bewildered, jaw hung low, and he glanced to see the blond running at him, fist raised, ready to crash into his face.

Kiba was panting, exhaustion setting in as he managed once more to kill his opponent. He and Hinata were defending their own checkpoint, facing an onslaught of enemies that just decided to keep on respawning.

"Hurry up and get their checkpoint!" Kiba barked into the headset, taking note of Hinata's condition as she managed to yet again fight off another person.

'Got it!' Sasuke's voice crackled back, and there was an affirmative hum from Naruto's. Kiba sighed slightly in relief, knowing that working as a team together, Naruto and Sasuke could even kick Hinata's ass five times over. It was with no discredit to Hinata; she was one of the best single players in the world (a championship had decided that) but when working together, Naruto and Sasuke became a hurricane which could rock the proverbial world.

Naruto and Sasuke stood on either side of the door into the other house. Naruto's sniper was hoisted onto his back, an AK47 in his shoulder that had been snatched from one of his previous victims. Sasuke was duel wielding a desert eagle with his original pistol, an SA80 slung over his back by its sling. They nodded to one another before entering through the door, guns blazing. Shots were instantly fired back and Naruto flattened himself against a wall, pulling the ripcord of a flare out with his teeth and throwing it up the stairs. There were yells of confusion and pain before Sasuke and Naruto dashed up the stairs beside one another. As they entered the room, the light of the flare blinded them; but they opened fire into the room, the watery cries of others fading as their gunfire increased. Eventually, everything fell silent, and the flare died out, showing the massacre that just took place in the room. Naruto sighed in relief now that it was finally over, and he sat on the mattress of the bed, rubbing his eyes. Everything around him was darkening, and eventually, he collapsed backwards into the soft but bloodstained sheets, Sasuke following not soon after.

When he regained consciousness, he was lying with his head on Sasuke's lap in the den, the others also there and awake. A gentle hand was carding through his hair and he sighed gently, relishing in the feeling, before sitting straight up, looking to the others.

"It was a dream?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head, glancing to Sasuke, Hinata and Kiba, who were all staring at the screen where more writing was appearing.

_Very good. I wouldn't have expected less from you. And no, __**NARUTO**__, that wasn't a dream._

At that, Naruto flinched.

_Now for the next level. This should prove to be harder than just Call of Duty. I hope you enjoy horror. I must say that I expect a very good score from __**KIBA**__ on this one. __**NARUTO**__, I expect you to do more this time; don't let your comrades show you up!_

Naruto growled at the message, and the others turned to face him as his ears went red from the clear insult directed his way. His fists clenched around the controller, and there was the sound of straining plastic under his hands.

_Why don't you convert some of that anger into the game? __**HINATA**__, for this next game, you and __**SASUKE**__ will be separated from __**KIBA**__ and __**NARUTO**__. It seems they rely on the both of you to get through things like this. I must say, you surprise me with your skills. Most females would have perished by now._

Kiba growled at that, and Hinata's eyes narrowed, despite the compliment. She considered replying, but the thought of it just seemed absurd, so she just settled for glaring at the screen. The text from before vanished and another text box appeared, a blinking cursor at the beginning.

_See you in the next game._

* * *

><p>Naruto awoke in a strange room on a four poster bed that seemed to belong in the Georgian ages. His eyes opened blearily and he rolled to the side to collide with something soft and human. Brown hair attacked his vision and he jumped back to see that it was Kiba, and his heart rate calmed down.<p>

"Kiba, wake up!" Naruto hissed, shaking the brunet. Eventually, his eyes opened and he yawned, sitting up and stretching his arms above his head. Naruto's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"How can you be so relaxed?" he hissed angrily, and Kiba blinked twice realisation settled in.

"Damn, I was hoping it was a dream. I'm gunna kill you for picking up that game, Naru!" Kiba growled, looking around for Hinata and Sasuke, only to freeze when he saw that they weren't there and when he recognised his surroundings.

"Shit. You know what game this is, Naru?" Kiba asked, paling, and Naruto shook his head, a bad feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

"It's a horror, that much I know from what the game told me," Naruto muttered, and there were heavy sounding footsteps from outside the room. Paling, Kiba grabbed Naruto's wrist and dragged them over to the walk-in wardrobe that was protected by solid oak doors. Naruto squeaked but Kiba just shoved them as far back as possible, covering his hand over the blond's mouth and sitting in the corner of the insanely large wardrobe, drowning them in a pile of old coats.

"Amnesia," Kiba hissed into the tanned ear, and Naruto stiffened at that. He'd only seen Kiba and his YouTube idol play the game, but due to that, he knew what was outside the closet door, and he was shaking slightly. If the game had split them up individually, Naruto was sure he would've died just a couple of minutes ago. That thought had a couple of tears sliding down his face, dripping onto Kiba's calloused hands. Kiba held him tighter to himself as the sound of footsteps disappeared.

"You know what goes on, right?" Kiba whispered to Naruto, who shook his head slightly. He only semi-knew what happened. Kiba hummed.

"Don't worry; this one's a custom story- all you need to do is survive. It's a survival game. We need to get out of this house with Sasuke and Hinata with us, without getting killed," Kiba explained, and Naruto stopped shaking, took a deep breath, and nodded once more.

"We can do this," he muttered weakly, and Kiba grinned in response.

"That's the spirit. Just keep calm, and find Stephano!" Kiba joked, and Naruto chuckled silently.

"Let's go then," he muttered in a fake Swedish accent, and Kiba rolled his eyes, but didn't comment, knowing that Naruto had to have something to stabilise himself with; he did it all the time when they played horror games too, and they weren't the main characters in them.

Cautiously, they exited the closet, and Kiba decided to make a joke about how Naruto had 'come out of the closet'. Needless to say that Naruto's face turned beet red and he tried to swipe at the brunet before there were heavy footsteps once again, and the only place to hide was behind a fortress of barrels. The two of them hid inside a barrel each, and Naruto inwardly prayed that the creature didn't look inside. However, the barrels were dusty, and Naruto had never been good with dust; he felt a sneeze building up and was terrified of making noise. Luck wasn't on his side however, and as he sneezed, he knocked the barrel over, falling out of it, to look up into the mangled face of the creature that was chasing after them. He squeaked neatly before scrambling up and darting down a few halls, turning every so often. Soon there was a silver lining; there was a small passage going underneath the floors that looked as though he could fit through. Without a second thought, he dived in there and crawled away as silently as he could, not caring about the spider webs that snapped on his face or the rats that scurried over his hands. Eventually he stopped, the darkness seeming to make everything calmer than it was; the footsteps had disappeared and Naruto crawled backwards, going to get out of the tunnel and find Kiba. He froze, however, when he felt a hand around his ankle, and he squeaked, turning around to see a random naked man clutching at his ankle.

"Teleporting naked guy!" he squeaked, trying to tug his ankle free, but it went unnoticed by the man who decided to try and crawl up his body. Naruto struggled with all his might and was pushing himself down towards the entrance of the tunnel whilst trying to fight off the random man.

"Get off of me!" he whisper-yelled, pushing the man away as he struggled towards the entrance. Eventually he got out into the open, still sitting half upright on the floor. There were a few groans from the man on top of him, and Naruto froze for a split second before his efforts doubled, and he knocked a table that was in the room. A cheese knife fell into his lap and he didn't think twice before shoving it through the blank eyes of the man on top of him over and over again, sobbing slightly and panting from the effort as he pushed the limp body off of himself and cringed at the amount of blood on his clothes. As soon as he could, and with much caution, Naruto ran down the halls, trying to find Kiba, or at least Sasuke and Hinata. His efforts were for naught, however, as at least two hours later, he hadn't seen any signs of any of them.

His breathing picked up, and he felt tears sting behind his eyes at the thought of being in the house alone, armed with only an oil lantern he'd found and the bloodied cheese knife that he was clutching on to like a precious gem. He'd also acquired a backpack in his search, which had the golden 'Stephano' statue located inside, as well as more oil supplies and matches.

"Keep calm and find Stephano," he muttered to himself, walking down some more endless corridors. The now-familiar sounds of footsteps caught his ears, and he looked around, seeing that there wasn't anywhere good to hide.

"Shit," he muttered, turning on the spot and walking in the opposite direction quickly, carefully, so as not to make a single sound.

Another four hours later, Sasuke was almost strangling Kiba, whilst Hinata was trying to pull him away.

"You just _left_ him?_!_" Sasuke snarled in a whisper, being careful not to alert anything that would be nearby. Kiba coughed and choked just as silently, not being able to fight his case whilst the pale hands were around his neck.

"Sasuke-kun; please let him go!" Hinata whispered, and Sasuke relented slightly, moving to grip at Kiba's shirt collar.

"You better start explaining!" he snarled, and Kiba huffed, slightly scared but understanding of why Sasuke was acting that way.

"I searched for two hours, Sasuke! A whole two hours looking for him as soon as I could! I couldn't find him anywhere, and then I ran into trouble in the tunnels. It took me at least another hour to get back out, and when I did, I had to run from yet _another_ monster! So, instead of yelling at one another, maybe we could band together and _find_ him!" Kiba hissed, and Hinata froze along with Sasuke when there was the sound of heavy footsteps once more. Almost as if he'd been burned, Sasuke let go if Kiba's collar and dragged both him and Hinata into a wardrobe, the three of them keeping as silent as they could. Their breath was held as the monster searched around the area, pausing in front of a pile of barrels, before turning around about to head towards the closet, before a rattling from outside the room caught its attention, and it ran in that direction. There was soon the thud of a body hitting the floor, and the three in the closet panicked. They silently climbed out, about to peer around the corner, when a smaller body was launched into the barrels by the wall; a body they recognised as Naruto's. Sasuke yelled out in shock, but it went ignored by the blond, who stood up, a blade in his right hand that had obviously come from one of the grunt servant's hands, and he charged towards the monster that had thrown him, weapon raised. The three exhausted and dirty others watched in shock as the monster fell to the floor, head rolling off in the opposite direction. Cautiously, they approached Naruto- Sasuke in front of the others- only to freeze when he turned to them, blade pointing under Sasuke's chin. It was then that they took in the blond's appearance. His clothes were torn to the degree that they were just rags hanging from his body; every inch of his body was caked in dirt, slime, sweat and blood. What shocked them the most, however, were the bandages over the blond's eyes, dried blood stains marring them.

"Who are you?" the rough voice of the blond asked, and Sasuke blinked, monumentally shocked. It looked as though Naruto had been travelling around the area for years, and not just hours.

"Sasuke. Naruto; it's me," Sasuke almost choked, and Hinata let out a small sob, Kiba was shaking, obviously feeling guilty. If they could've seen his eyes, the other three would've guessed that Naruto's eyes were as wide as saucers. The blade dropped from its position beneath Sasuke's chin, and Naruto's legs wobbled, but he kept himself upright.

"S-Sasuke? Who else is with you?" He asked desperately. Sasuke frowned, slightly, coming closer. Instinctively, Naruto raised his weapon.

"Who else is with you?" he demanded more strongly, wanting answers.

"Kiba and Hinata; we were looking for you- what happened?" Sasuke asked, stepping closer when Naruto lowered his weapon once more. Kiba stepped forward, along with Hinata.

"A lot of things," Naruto stated, all emotion gone from his voice.

"What happened to your eyes, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked softly, stepping closer, tracing her fingers gently over the bandages. Naruto flinched slightly at that before taking off the bandage to show that his eyelids were sewn shut. There were three collective gasps as they took in the sight.

"There was a giant spider- and I mean like 'cow-sized' spider- and it shot venom at me. I managed to kill it; but to stop the venom from spreading, I had to remove my eyes." Naruto stated, cool as ice, and the three of them flinched at how horrible it had sounded.

"Since I lost my sight, it feels like it's been years since I've been stuck here," Naruto chuckled wetly, squeaking when he was pulled against a chest he recognised as Sasuke's. The hand that wasn't holding the blade made its way to fist at the back of Sasuke's shirt, and if he could've cried, Naruto knew he would've broken down into a teary mess right then. Kiba joined in on the hug, along with Hinata; the four of them sharing a special moment. Naruto broke away and smiled at Sasuke before shifting his backpack that the others had only just realised he was wearing.

"I kept calm and found Stephano," he told Kiba, who snorted weakly as the golden statue was removed from the backpack and pressed into his hands.

"I also found Mr Chair and Piggy," he told the others, who rolled their eyes in an affectionate way. "There's an oil lamp and matches in there too; figured I didn't them since, y'know- but you will!" Naruto told them, spinning on the spot and walking away. The others followed him as he walked down various corridors, seeming to know his way around.

"I tried to leave at one point when it got too much, but I couldn't. So I figured I needed to have all of you with me to do so; so I tried to find you. It was quite difficult for a while, but eventually I got used to everything," Naruto monologue-d, and the three shared a concerned look with each other, not used to being so vocal in the area. However, they soon saw why Naruto was being as brazen with his volume as he was. He'd obviously been in the area before because there were the bodies of many monsters strewn everywhere, including a few naked men.

"My harem of lovers," Naruto joked, and Kiba snorted.

"Didn't know you liked the teleporting type," Kiba added, and Naruto laughed, carefree. Soon enough, they approached the large set of double doors that signified the entrance to the gargantuan house. He turned to Hinata with a small smile and stepped back, sweeping his arm in front of him.

"After you," he told her, and she smiled- not that the blond could see it- and pushed open the double doors, allowing sunlight to pour into the entrance hall as they stepped out of the house.

* * *

><p>This time when they awoke, it was to being thrown into another game instantly. There were groans outside the room that was filled with weapons, ammunition, health packs, grenades and pills. Naruto instantly recognised the room and froze where he was sitting. He then rubbed at his eyes, relishing in the fact he could now see everything, despite how confused he was at the ordeal.<p>

"No way," breathed a voice next to him, and Naruto jumped, before realising that it was Kiba.

"Holy shit dude, don't scare me like that-especially not in this game!" Naruto cried out, and Kiba looked to the blond, relieved to such a high degree that he jumped on the blond and hugged him tightly.

"You're okay!" he cried out in joy, and Naruto hugged the brunet back.

"Yeah I'm fine; everything's healed. And I'm _clean_!" Naruto breathed out, smelling the clothes on his body, the scent of detergent overpowering his senses. He looked to his right to see Sasuke staring at him, a strange expression swimming in his eyes. Naruto frowned, but his eyes widened as Sasuke pulled him into a tighter hug than Kiba had trapped him in and pressed a kiss to his forehead. A full blush painted Naruto's cheeks as he was crushed against Sasuke's chest, another kiss being pressed into his hair.

"You're okay," Sasuke whispered, repeating Kiba's words, which earned him an eye-roll from said brunet. Hinata just looked on awkwardly at the embracing couple who were sharing a private moment. She stood up and approached the table where the weapons lay with a note.

"G-guys, there's a note here," she told the others, who approached the table, Sasuke with his arm around Naruto's shoulders, not wanting to let the blond out of his sight after the previous game. Kiba frowned as he read the note aloud, ignoring the groans from outside the obvious safe house.

_Well done on completing my custom story in Amnesia; you've done well to get this far. You may be wondering why you are no longer injured; the answer is simple. After every game- if you survive- you are healed. The only permanent thing in this world is death. Now, complete this level to continue to the next game._

The four of them blinked at the same time, and Naruto rubbed the back of his neck before facing the weapons.

"Well, what should we grab, then?" he asked, and the others looked around at the table, noticing that there wasn't much choice. Hinata picked up a submachine gun, testing the weight of it in her hands, before nodding and grabbing the ammunition that went with it. Sasuke opted for the same choice, also picking up a medical pack and some adrenaline. Naruto and Kiba, however, opted for the pump-action shotgun, filling their pockets with ammunition. However, Sasuke then hoisted a hunting rifle onto his back, whilst Hinata and Kiba took an assault rifle each. Naruto grabbed a pipe bomb with Hinata, whilst the others grabbed Molotov's.

"Okay, so we just need to get to the airport, right?" Naruto asked, and Hinata nodded. Kiba looked slightly pale at the thought of going out into the open with the zombies; especially when he knew what type were out there.

"So how do we avoid the Tank?" Kiba asked the dreaded question, and watched as his friends shuddered at the thought of having to fight such a monster. Sasuke thought it over for a moment before snapping his fingers.

"We'll do what we usually do. Drag the petroleum tanks near to the plane, set them on fire and stay with our backs to the wreckage and shoot them as they come; so conserve ammunition!" Sasuke stated, and the other three nodded, glad they at least had a familiar plan to go by. Naruto, however, was nervous; he usually died in Left4Dead and had to wait to be revived... but in this world, death was permanent. Sasuke seemed to sense his distress as he gently took hold of Naruto's free hand and laced their fingers together, pulling him to face him, a stern look on his face.

"Don't worry, Naruto; I'll protect you." He told the other softly, and noticing that Kiba and Hinata weren't paying attention, he pulled the blond in closer, his lips ghosting Naruto's ear.

"I won't let you die before me," he whispered, and Naruto flushed red at the intimate words before facing away, the pleasant feeling in his abdomen confusing him.

"T-teme; where do you get off with saying things like that?" he hiccupped, and Sasuke's eyes widened, before placing a hand on the scarred cheek, making Naruto face him, stroking away the tears.

"Look, I know you're worried, and god knows you're terrible at this game," at that, Naruto snorted slightly, his hand coming to join with Sasuke's. The raven smiled slightly before continuing. "I want you to be safe, Naruto; I almost lost you once- I'm not gunna let that happen again," he told the other sternly, and Naruto nodded gently, aware that Kiba and Hinata were now watching them.

"Let's get going then," Naruto perked up, facing the others with a masked grin, to which Hinata and Kiba frowned at, turning to look at Sasuke, who had a gentle smile on his face. Despite knowing it was a façade, Sasuke was glad that the blond had perked up, because it meant he was more aware and ready to go, thus earning him fewer injuries.

The four of them stood by the door, and Kiba took a deep breath, hand going towards the handle.

"If any of you startle the witch or alert the hoard, run directly to the safe room!" he advised, to which the other three nodded. Kiba then opened the door silently and the four of them crept out, crouching low to the ground. They looked around the greenhouse, and down into the main area where a few infected were scattered around.

"Hina, throw your pipe bomb," Sasuke whispered, and Hinata nodded, pressing the button and launching it into the area. As soon as the infected heard the beeping, they scurried towards the pipe bomb, snarling and gnashing their teeth, along with some of the other infected that were in the outside area. There was a small explosion, and the four of them ducked as pieces of debris were sent their way. Kiba peeked over the edge of the balcony to see that there weren't any moving infected before heading out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, let's go," he muttered, and the four of them stood up, before making their way down the stairs, Sasuke first, then Naruto, Hinata afterwards, Kiba bringing up the rear as tail-end Charlie. As they made their way through the area, a rumbling sound caught their attention, and Kiba looked up for a moment to see that the C-130 flying low over the greenhouse.

"There's our ride out, then," Hinata mumbled happily, and Kiba grinned slightly.

"Let's get going," Sasuke mumbled, and the foursome trooped out onto the apartment rooftop, killing off many infected on their way.

"I never did thank Left4Dead for their 'shove back' option," Naruto grit out as he shoved an infected person off the edge of the apartment building, not having the time to listen to the sickening crunch as it hit the street below, as he was already ambushed by another zombie. This one receive similar treatment, but this time it was Hinata who shoved it off the blond, and Naruto smiled weakly at the girl who had saved him before making his way back to the others, who were just finishing off the other infected. Sasuke grunted as he shot one through the head, brains splattering onto the apartment roof behind it as it slumped to the ground.

"That all of them?" Kiba asked, and Sasuke nodded. As Hinata and Naruto joined them, they headed further into the apartment, cleaning out infected and searching for supplies. As Hinata and Naruto entered a room, there was a distinct sound of sobbing also coming from the area around them. Naruto paled and started to shake, whilst Hinata just swallowed lightly. Together, they switched their flashlights off and backed out of the room as quietly as they could. However, as they did so, the floorboards creaked under their feet, and there was a sharp intake of breath from where the Witch resided, before the cries subdued once more. Sasuke and Kiba came up beside them, noticed their faces and heard the cries before realising what was going on.

"Back away slowly," Sasuke whispered, and they did just that, taking an alternate route into the apartment complex next to the one they were in, already stocked with supplies from various rooms. As they advanced into the office blocks that were adjoined to the apartments, more infected appeared from the rooms, which had Kiba and Sasuke cursing, whilst Hinata and Naruto covered them, also looking for supplies.

It took them at least two hours to get to the airport after that, and by that time, they were all worn down and struggling to survive. Naruto had a deep cut on his brow that leaked blood into his vision occasionally, Sasuke's shirt was torn, and Kiba was supporting Hinata on a sprained ankle. The moment Hinata had landed awkwardly in front of a hoard had set the groups panic at an all-time high. More injuries were sustained during the twenty minutes they had taken getting to the safe room with Hinata than there had been throughout the whole gaming period.

"Okay, you guys know the plan," Kiba reiterated, and the other three of them nodded. Hinata was slightly behind the group, closest to the crashed plane for protection due to her sprained ankle.

"Then let's do this," Kiba continued. A claxon sounded, and the hoard arrived, trailing with them snarls and fear. Immediately, they set out to kill the monsters, every head shot seeming like a blessing.

"I can't wait until this game is over," Naruto yelled to the others, throwing a pipe bomb to distract a large wave of zombies heading in their direction from the left. Sasuke was just about to agree when he felt a sticky mass envelope his waist. He went pale, before the sensation of being pulled back prompted him to shout for help. Hinata's eyes widened and she reached for knife to slice through the thick muscle of tongue. Sasuke was released, and helped to his feet by the girl just as there was a loud crashing from the right.

"Sasuke, Kiba- you handle the Tank- Naruto and I will deal with the hoard!" Hinata called to the group, who yelled in agreement and went to take their designated jobs. Sasuke and Kiba constantly bombarded the large monster with shots, pipe bombs and molotvs, only for it to have little damage. Meanwhile, Naruto and Hinata had managed to subdue the hoard, and eventually, an army plane flew overhead and landed.

"SASUKE! KIBA! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Naruto yelled, covering Hinata as she limped her way towards the entrance of the jet, and was then helped in by a military man. Naruto stood by the entrance, shooting down the zombies that were making their way towards the jet as Kiba and Sasuke moved backwards towards him, still fighting the Tank. As the two of them entered their ride home, Naruto threw his last frag grenade towards the monster and jumped inside, watching with some relief as they flew high above the carnage below them.

"Wow that was close," Kiba breathed, a smirk on his face. Hinata let out a small giggle, which set Kiba into a bout of low chuckles. Naruto then snorted, and Sasuke soon joined in with the light-hearted laugh they were sporting. Naruto leant against Sasuke, trying to breathe normally through the laughter, and Kiba had Hinata in a tight embrace, and was pressing kisses to her temple and in her hair. The laughter then died down, and all of them were grinning like idiots at the fact they had managed to escape the level mostly unharmed. With a gentle arm slipped around the blond's waist, Sasuke turned to look him in the eyes, a glad smile still on his lips.

"Dobe," he muttered, leaning in to kiss his best friend. Time seemed to stop for a moment for the shorter blond, but eventually he grinned into the kiss and threw his arms around the raven's neck and responded with enthusiasm. When they broke apart, they were both panting and grinning.

"Teme," Naruto replied cheekily. There was a light applause from Kiba and Hinata, who looked ecstatic that the two of them had finally gotten together.

"Let's go face this next game, then," Sasuke muttered into Naruto's ear, who nodded eagerly, sure he could face anything now.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I know the ending to this was extremely rushed, but I've been meaning to finish it for at least five months now, and I felt you deserved to have an update. I really am sorry for the lack, but I got a job and college snuck up on me! Anyways, I'll be updating more frequently now :3<strong>

**The next chapter will beeee *drum roll* 'Impossible'.**

**(I love you guys so much - I also have a Tumblr now the-fangirl-blogger )**


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